a bag for collecting things

yesterday was one of those days. you know, when you get tired of hearing your own voice and really no one is listening anyway. it was raining all day so that didn't help either. amidst the chaos i decided to get out the sewing machine and make this bag for my big boy to put all the things he asks me to fill my pockets with, when we're out and about. he always runs to me with a small object and announces that it's for his 'collection'. so the sewing machine whirred and amazingly peace ensued. it's funny how a change of activity can get everyone out of a rut. and we did attempt to get dressed at one point but pyjamas seems to be the preferred mode of dress around here on these dark rainy days. even changing back into them after being out, as we did today. made out of one of the blankets i got a few weeks ago, i think he was pleased. sometimes it's nice to see a physical achievement for a day, and i felt on top of it all once again and able to keep us happy and busy for the rest of the afternoon. although popcorn and hot chocolate might have been involved.

sarada xx

new shoes and some food ideas

we got this this sweet little chap his first proper shoes at the weekend. he really wants to walk everywhere now and i thought it might be nice for him to not have wet, muddy feet anymore. so his daddy took him out for a little stroll. it's so lovely to wander with him as he tightly clasps your fingers and takes every step in his own wobbly time. then leads you to where he wants to go and stops when something catches his eye. it brings back so many memories of when his older brother started walking. oh the sweetness of it all.


On another note, I've been trying out a few recipes lately;

my mother used to always make rissoles when we were growing up and these brown rice patties were lovely, so cheap and simple to make. i must do this more often.

and my 4 year old is going crazy for these at the moment. i used a mixture of honey and agave nectar. they're actually really similar to the energy chunks i made a while ago, but the chocolate chips are the winning ingredient. they're a great treat for his school lunch box. oh i do love it when i manage to sneak healthy food into my boys.

and chicken soup, it was the chicken broth recipe from apples for jam, i love this book, did i say that already? but instead of a whole chicken, which can be so expensive especially if like me you want the organic one. i used some free range chicken thighs and drumsticks to make the broth and it worked just as well. we even had chicken left over for a stir fry the following day.

do you have any cheap meals or short cuts that you often use in your kitchen?

sarada xx

capturing the sun

i love how the sunlight paints pictures on my walls, and i so enjoy watching the shadows change throughout the day and then slowly fade away as the sun goes down. just enjoying the sunshine while it lasts.

Hope you had a lovely weekend,
sarada xx

bringing the outside in

i never manage to do much with the beautiful autumn leaves that we collect at this time of year and we always seem to come home with handfuls. if you look, you can find them stuffed into various books around the house as i try to press them at least. i always want to dip them in wax or do leaf rubbings, in fact there's so much inspiration out there, but we never seem to manage it. so at least by making a leaf garland to hang on the wall we get to enjoy them for a while until they get all crumpled. do you remember the leaf rainbow i made a long time ago? that was fun. in autumn we also collect acorns and pine cones as they are always great to play with. but no conkers i'm afraid, we don't seem to have any horse chestnut trees around these parts.

sarada xxx

nursing a cold

i've got a horrible tickly cough at the moment, it's the sort that keeps you up at night and everyone else for that matter. i've been lucky enough to rest this weekend though, wrapped up in a blanket, browsing through old country living magazines, and drinking lemon, ginger and honey tea, while my lovely partner has looked after the children, taken them out and generally kept them busy. i am so grateful for all that he does. and this little one has started walking. it's been a couple of weeks now from those first tottering, arms pointing forwards, steps between us. i find it amazing to watch him get more confident each day. there's still a lot of falling down and heart in my mouth moments, but i just love that bum stuck up in the air when he gets up every time to try again. i keep finding him in all sorts of places!

i'd love to know what natural remedies you reach for when you get a cold?

see you soon,
sarada xxx

a changeable sort of day

today it started off stormy, then sunny, then rainy and by the evening there wasn't a cloud in sight, just a beautiful yellowy pink sky. we got caught in a downpour on the way back from school so we ran down the hill shrieking and smiling till we got home. we got cosy and made these biscuits for the second time. i'm always on the look out for a dairy and egg free recipe for my little allergy sufferer, so when this came through the post in the lush catalogue we had to try it. they are really good. i never thought of using coconut oil like this and i love that they have fresh ginger in them too. not so pretty to look at but really tasty, just like proper crunchy ginger biscuits. they're definitely becoming a favourite around here.

sarada xxx

the other day

i had a few moments to myself so i sat on the balcony and read this cute and inspiring craft magazine whilst eating these sweet healthy treats. what bliss. i love those wreaths, such beautiful pictures. and there's a tutorial for a throw that's made out of woollen jumpers that i've got my eye on, so i couldn't resist this lot at the boot fair. 3 woollen blankets (not sure what to do with them - any ideas?) and 2 woollen jumpers to start me off all for just 3 quid. now that's a bargain don't you think? i had to snap them up even if it was ridiculous walking around with them for the rest of the day in the sweltering heat!

sarada xxx

hello october, hello sunshine

there's been a mini heatwave here in the uk. hopefully it's just a very late summer, otherwise it seems disconcerting to be so hot at this time of year. we've been making the most of the sunshine as it's bound to be the last we see before the days get colder and darker. spending every minute outside; walking, exploring, having evening picnics on the beach, and swimming everyday. i've been loving getting into that water, so exhilarating. and so freezing but it is autumn after all. i fancy while i'm out in the cool waves, that i could be one of those people you hear about, that swim in the sea every single day of the year. but then i realise there's no way, and it's just unusually hot at the moment. how strange it is to be swimming in october while autumn coloured leaves cover the ground and the bushes are filled with bright red berries.

is the season taking you by surprise where you are?
sarada xxx