A woodland Autumn / Fall brooch

Hi everyone

I can hardly believe that Autumn / Fall is upon us already - where has Summer gone?

While down in Dorset for the annual Hat Festival, I browsed some of the lovely craft stalls & came across this lovely brooch. I bought a similar one (unfortunately not photographed) for my lovely neighbour who bunny sits for me.

Ms M gifted this lovely one to me ...

Perfect for an Autumn cardigan - I can't wait to use it.

I hope you are having a lovely week wherever you are - thank you for stopping by ...

Dee ~♥~

Fresh fig tart for friends

Hi everyone

Summer holidays are coming to an end & those of us who work in education are doing a last catch up before we are back to work.

With beautiful summer fruits about, I decided on a fresh fig tart as my contribution.

This is a recipe by Rick Stein.

Croatian Fresh Fig Tart

For the pastry
170g plain flour, sifted &  extra for dusting
pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter, cubed
50g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
50ml double cream

For the filling

500g mascarpone cheese
6thsp clear honey
6 large, or 7 medium, or 8 small fresh figs, stems trimmed, halved.

For the pastry - mix the flour, salt & butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar. Mix the egg yolk & cream & add to the mixture so it forms a dough. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry & use it to line a round 26cm loose bottomed flan tin. (I had to chill mine first then roll it out).

Trim the edges of the pastry, cover with clingfilm & rest in the freezer for 30 min. (I didn't have time to do this so mine shrunk a little but was fine) Heat the oven to 180C fan.

Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans or rice & bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper & beans & cook for a further 3 minuted. Take out of the oven & lower the heat to 160C.

Soften the mascarpone with the honey in a pan over a low heat.

Pour into the pastry, then lay the figs on top, cut side up. Bake for 30 min until just starting to turn golden at the edges. Cool to room temperature before removing from the tin & cutting to serve.

This is the tart, baked & cooling on the rack. I backed it on a baking tray in case it leaked (it didn't) and it looks so good.

Then off to my lovely friend who had set a gorgeous girlie table for us for supper ...

Individual chicken breasts with bacon, cheese & a spicy sauce, vegetables & roast potatoes - heaven!

Then pudding & coffee time .... heaven ... the fig tart was delicious

The tart at our girlie supper with some vanilla ice-cream - it was so good but very rich - something I will definitely make again.

Thank you for stopping by, I always appreciate  your comments.
Dee ~♥~

Crocheting a rose brooch ...

Hi everyone

Are you enjoying summer where you are? We have been promised a heatwave but it has yet to materialise.

However, I am loving my time off work to just catch up with friends & things for a change.

I recently showed you my tentative crocheting efforts following some beginner lessons. My late Mother & Grandmother could crochet & chat at the same time & they were always making something while muttering about my 'idle hands' ....

I am ambidextrous so I do some things with my right, some with my left hand & it so I skipped certain skills (knitting as it was easier to get my Mom to do it)

However, the lovely crochet tutors have been brilliant & have let us find the way that we are comfortable with ... my thread holding works for me is all I am saying.

I saw a workshop to learn to crochet a rose brooch & talked my friend Liane Pearl in to joining me at a local craft shop. It was intense to get the rhythm of the pattern .... 5 trebles ... 2 doubles ...  5... 2

Amazingly, it took on the shape & I was even impressed with how neat mine was - progress!

One leaf done & then time for a crochet button for the centre ....

Finishing them off & putting the backing pin on - fabulous achievement.

Oh yes - a great evening was had by all, a new pattern learnt & a lovely brooch too.

My lifelong learning aim continues this year ... I need to practise this while it is fresh in my mind because it is so effective!

I am sure I am not the only one learning new skills. Do you figure it out yourself or are you happy to enrol on a new course? Tell all & thank you for stopping by & taking the time to read & comment.

Dee ~♥~

Streetlife time on the sideboard

HI everyone

I hope you are all enjoying Summer. It is the time I have my break (I am a tutor) so I get the opportunity to catch up on things that fall by the wayside with my busy schedule.

I have not changed my sideboard in a bit & so today I decided on my favourite Royal Stafford Streetlife china, designed by Petra Tilly.

It is a set my regulars will recognise it from breakfast posts with the family

It was collected for me by the daughters with pieces gifted over some time to make up a lovely set.

I love the drawings which reflect life so well  - keys, phone, socks ..... 

Ahem ... car washing ...

I love how cheerful the set is - fun & modern ...

Reading in the garden with a squirrel running about - my garden ...

The large platter is a favourite view with interesting snippets of life

Designed by Petra Tilly who is well known for unusual designs ..

An uplifting collection that is meant to be enjoyed ...

This cluster reflects the dilemma of the Olympic coverage - TV vs vacuuming / work or is multitasking best?

Fresh & fun - I will use it when it is out on the sideboard - this set is an indulgence that is fun ...

Do you have a favourite set? Which image above is your favourite?
Dee ~♥~

Come Vizslas .... and Tuppence

Hi everyone

I am always an early riser - I love the stillness of early mornings, I find the quiet & peace very calming;  in Castle 'La Bergelière' France, I would go quietly downstairs to be greeted by excited dogs in their runs in the kitchen.

The dogs had heard my footsteps on the many stairs down to the kitchen ...

I would pop on the kettle, make some tea then take the 3 excitable dogs for an hour long walk / run / play in the chateau gardens while everyone snoozed on.

Vizsla Apollo & Aura adopted Ms M's Cavachon Tuppence as one of their own - see A Wondering Star's account of Tuppence 

Each morning I would greet them with 'Come Vizsla's' & Tuppence would trot along beside them, part of the Vizsla pack but stay to the side during their energetic ball fetching times ...

The Chateau provided such great space for the dogs to have long runs, safely off lead as I was confident that they would respond to commands if need be.The energetic Vizslas enjoying the morning time too ...

The bells of the adjoining church at La Flocelliere would rouse the others & they would wander down to join us in the garden

Castle 'La Bergelière' in La Flocelliere,  France A wonderful setting for a family getaway with space for well behaved dogs too ...

The lovely chateau with its extended gardens was a perfect spot, especially for a large group & some energetic dogs ...
Dee ~♥~