tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29629294586384328442012-02-12T12:42:15.334ZHannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.comBlogger7301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-31988896079058470702012-02-10T11:22:00.001Z2012-02-10T12:04:06.695Z

All or nothing: the thinking pattern that leads me to view things at one extreme or another, is a common trait of Asperger syndrome. It is the perfectionist monkey on my shoulder that lets me believe that the only options are to do something amazingly or not at all. It promotes neurosis, paranoia and self-deprecating negativity in my mind in such a slick way that it can be hard to notice.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-30831824606413277402012-02-06T09:48:00.000Z2012-02-06T09:48:22.084Z

Last week we celebrated the fifth anniversary of deregistering Cameron from school.  We paused over whether it was appropriate this time around as Cameron is currently giving high school a try but I  think, whatever the outcome of this experiment, we will always mark the occasion - the day I found my brave, the day my boy began to reclaim his smile, the day we woke up and began to live

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-13760627829687019252012-01-31T11:56:00.000Z2012-01-31T11:56:26.729Z

Thanks again for being so patient whilst things are busy, here. I have been meaning to show you this project for a while but haven't managed to capture a good photo of it yet, so squint your eyes a bit and pretend it's pretty, OK?! Just before Christmas I was invited to a mystery knitting group which was running a year-round project to knit an afghan blanket.  I have often thought people

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-8524295794635779062012-01-25T13:13:00.005Z2012-01-25T13:13:46.587Z

I am a bad blogger - it's been over a week since I posted anything and I think that's the longest I've ever gone without actually planning to take a break so apologies for my unexplained absence. Cameron's new ventures have gone into overdrive which means that for the time being his schedule is kind of crazy and for me that means a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, not to mention waiting around. 

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-68267677046620493702012-01-18T12:28:00.000Z2012-01-18T12:43:16.020Z

Confession: I had a slip yesterday and ate ice-cream. After a really quite horrible day in which I battled with my hormones, spent hours waiting around in the freezing icy weather, travelled on nine buses (one of which I fell over on - wearing a skirt.), had an eye test (I'm not a fan of these) and an extremely challenging and inappropriate encounter with a neighbour, I decided to settle

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-18252766620597128352012-01-16T13:45:00.000Z2012-01-16T14:03:49.853Z

In recent months as I have researched for lifestyle changes I have read a LOT of contradictory health information but one thing that all sources seem to agree on is that we should increase our intake of vegetables and more specifically, green leafy ones.  I happen to love green leafy vegetables - salads, stir fries, throwing them into stews, soups, sauces - the uses for greens really are endless

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-61510683943786260922012-01-13T13:47:00.000Z2012-01-13T13:47:02.521Z

{Enjoying} new found energy {Absorbing} glimpses of Winter sunshine and occasional Spring-like breezes {Dreaming} of Spring {Planning} what to grow this year {Eating} soup, soup and more soup! {Knitting} with colours to match the early spring bulbs sprouting {Organising} a new and hopefully workable household routine {Growing} windowsill pea shoots for Winter salads {Nurturing}

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-51839044068479830662012-01-11T11:56:00.000Z2012-01-11T11:56:32.557Z

I'd like to start today's post by saying that I am in awe of all the people out there who are baking gluten free out of necessity.  Gluten free ingredients are expensive and harder to find, workable recipes are not always simple to source and different ingredients mean gloopy mixtures and that you really have to learn to bake all over again, developing new instincts. To begin my gluten free

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-45609621376219824212012-01-09T08:48:00.004Z2012-01-11T11:09:36.337Z

Photo credit Another of my health goals for this year, alongside breaking up with wheat, is eliminating refined sugar from my diet. I know that I am not alone in that I used to think that sugar only posed a risk to dental health (and obviously mood changes because of blood sugar spikes) but further reading has really opened my eyes. As a huge skeptic about the safety of sweeteners it

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-66580758649384945172012-01-05T07:51:00.003Z2012-01-05T08:05:12.107Z

I had something else I wanted to write about here today but the weather is so incredibly crazy that I'm struggling to concentrate. In fact I'm beginning to feel like Laura Ingalls in The Long Winter - if we do not meet our end from being blown away by the strong winds then I'm sure we are going to be driven mad by the constant howling!Mother Nature had a busy night rearranging fences, bins and

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-25377985499127169732012-01-03T08:18:00.001Z2012-01-03T10:19:05.352Z

Sometimes it's nice to knit decorative things, like the snowdrops in my current blog banner, sometimes it's nice to knit semi-useful things like doilies and place mats that I can swap and change according to my mood or the season but my latest knitting project is something that I can use most days and there's something particularly satisfying about crafting a really useful item, I think.I have

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-9959401757006043302012-01-01T09:02:00.005Z2012-01-01T10:31:19.665Z

I give you the warmest of welcomes today and wish you a Happy New Year!I don't think I have ever been more excited than I have been this time around about celebrating new year. It's silly really but the beginning of a new year feels like a symbolic barrier has been placed between all of the difficult things I dealt with last year and myself, now. Mix that excitement with a lovely relaxing

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-52691302105161070752011-12-28T13:26:00.001Z2011-12-28T14:24:21.804Z

Hello there!I hope you enjoyed your Christmas. We had a lovely relaxed time which was just what we needed. Gift giving, family visits, movies, enjoying our new things, chatting about possibilities for the new year, restful knitting and lots of wonderful, rich food! Today though, as always happens following our gluttonous celebrations, we were seriously craving salad.I was recently sent some

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-74628859427592303292011-12-22T10:59:00.005Z2011-12-22T11:21:48.560Z

Wishing you love and light on this sunny Winter Solstice day!It has become tradition in our home to give handmade gifts on the Solstice so that they don't get overshadowed by fancy new things at Christmas. I love this little ritual - us both beavering away on projects for eachother with giggles and occasional shouts of "DONT COME IN!" as we prepare to do something nice for one another.Lately

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-26266822798047813602011-12-20T10:02:00.004Z2011-12-20T10:28:06.083Z

I had been struggling to find inspiration for decorating my Christmas cake this year. I didn't want to make anything too fiddly and I wanted to avoid piping because my skills aren't quite up to anything impressive, yet. I also didn't want to spend any money on new decorations or ingredients because I already have a ridiculous amount of kitchen space devoted to cake decorating stuff so my idea was

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-86853605309159676312011-12-19T10:54:00.005Z2011-12-19T11:18:34.719Z

It was a wonderful weekend of festive preparations.There was some free Mama-time in which I caught up on the washing, waited in for last minute parcels and decorated the Christmas cake (more on that tomorrow!).I baked Grantham Gingerbreads, wrapped presents and when Cameron returned we had our annual TV guide and highlighter pen session, marking everything we'd like to watch or record for another

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-89569879061267944382011-12-16T09:37:00.005Z2011-12-16T10:00:19.825Z

It's fun and easy for me to share the merry and bright moments here in this space but for many of us, Christmas is a time of year when family life is fraught with difficulty whether that be ongoing feuds, long lost relatives or the pressure of living in close quarters with one another through the festive period.Being estranged from family members is painful all the year around but particularly, I

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-53477547460913433392011-12-14T09:15:00.003Z2011-12-14T10:41:34.848Z

It's certainly beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Home Baked house. Cameron and I have been making paper snowflakes in abundance; me, enjoying the many tutuorials that are floating around Pinterest (I particularly liked this one) and Cameron enjoying working out his own patterns. He isn't usually a big craft fan so it's been lovely to see him get into this project (I suspect it has a

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-60676550670730911032011-12-12T09:10:00.006Z2011-12-12T11:15:06.391Z

A few good nights of sleep, a to-do list to put things into perspective and a lovely get together with family this weekend means that I am finally starting to feel a bit festive! I was starting to have doubts about whether it would actually happen this year as my usual Christmas obsession failed to appear. A couple of weeks ago I was telling you about my intention to knit some baubles and I have

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-80975373846062733692011-12-09T10:43:00.000Z2011-12-09T11:25:29.941Z

I kind of fell off the radar a bit this week, didn't I? The truth is that this Mama is struggling a bit to keep all of her plates spinning.I wish you a wonderful weekend (where I hope to catch up) and I aim to be back on Monday with something interesting to share!

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-61043467122376331222011-12-05T09:28:00.005Z2011-12-05T09:54:48.578Z

Cameron has been eagerly anticipating the snow for weeks and last night his wish came true - it snowed! Not much snow but it keeps coming at intervals and so far this morning it is not melting.This is the time when having our own garden (and a field beyond it) is really going to pay off. In our old house we would have to go to the park for anything more than making snowballs (which meant waiting

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-88453556874004013292011-12-01T06:26:00.001Z2011-12-01T06:26:00.559Z

MemoTo: craft studio roomFrom: HannahRe. StandardsOne of our most busy periods of the year - Christmas - is fast approaching and when I popped in earlier this week to pick up some knitting needles I was shocked to see how much standards have slipped. This simply will not do.Firstly, the bin has not emptied itself for several weeks. Please be aware that the floor is not a suitable substitution for

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-48295310990900150772011-11-29T22:59:00.005Z2011-11-30T11:02:33.651Z

I shared a few recent knitting projects with you on Monday and can you believe it? - I knit these mittens in between! I have had various knitting patterns for mittens earmarked for years and have always shied away from trying them because that thumb part looked tricky.Last week I decided that if I can turn the heel of a sock then a thumb couldn't be as scary as I was imagining so I searched

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-63289038756349792012011-11-28T10:30:00.004Z2011-11-28T13:01:22.051Z

Long time readers will know that I am not a great pattern follower, in any of the crafts that I dabble in, but this year I have slowly been experimenting with using knitting patterns (and the idea that I don't always know a better way!). The Shalom cardigan success was a big turning point for me, I think. I have been feeling more confident to tackle new things and also constantly craving to have

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-9109111970451340522011-11-23T11:46:00.008Z2011-11-23T12:33:15.793Z

Some people enjoy browsing clothes, shoes, bags, gadgets etc. for retail pleasure, I like to browse the retro kitchenalia items on etsy. There's always something interesting to see, even if I don't buy anything.When my eyes caught a glimpse of this little wonder, though, I couldn't resist.A 1950s collapsible gingerbread house cake tin! I was intrigued.My first concern was - as I'm sure you're

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-82601447034022030942011-11-21T12:13:00.001Z2011-11-21T13:27:21.003Z

As regular readers will know, this year I have felt more down than up. What you may not know is that I recently went through a big health scare that gave me plenty of time to take stock of my life. There's nothing quite like lying half naked and vulnerable on a doctor's couch whilst he talks about slicing and dicing you to make you re-evaluate your life choices.A better person may have taken on

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-80525431575999871582011-11-18T10:34:00.012Z2011-12-01T03:25:38.694Z

Have you ever been caught short after a bad day with no chocolate in the house to comfort you? Have you ever needed to rustle up a pudding in a hurry and found nothing useful in the cupboards? Checkout my idea for five minute chocolate pudding but please disregard the direction at the end to sprinkle it with caster sugar - these are not of my creation and make no sense that I can see.As you may

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-31534207966722013762011-11-17T10:56:00.002Z2011-11-28T13:34:41.256Z

I've written about my experiences with Groupon before and some may say that I am a bit biased as I write for their blog but I approach the deals as a regular customer and continue to find it enriching to our lives.If you're new to Groupon, it's quite simple to use - simply sign up to daily emails specific to deals in your local area (sign up is free).Deals vary from place to place but a typical

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-42912725548473097972011-11-16T14:22:00.001Z2011-11-16T15:02:13.102Z

Yesterday we visited the German Christmas market, which opened last weekend, in a bid to find some inspiration for the fast approaching festive season. This particular market is much the same each year but we each have our favourite things that we like to go back and experience and it usually fires us up to get moving with ideas for gifts, food and celebrations. By far my most favourite

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-55015613302759526682011-11-14T09:57:00.003Z2011-11-14T10:12:38.180Z

Ahh, le weekend!Ours was a wonderful weekend of sunshine, playing and hot coffee in the park. Enjoying an art gallery and our favourite book shop, where I spent my birthday money. A contrasting rainy day with film watching, sewing and giggling, a minimal amount of work and a satisfyingly crusty pie to round things off.Happy Monday - wishing you a wonderful week!

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-83597238039476621742011-11-11T11:03:00.001Z2011-11-11T11:06:08.324Z

I'm over on the new look Groupon Lifestyle blog today with a recipe for one of our favourite meals - Calzone!

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-24207853926937399882011-11-08T12:52:00.005Z2011-11-08T14:42:05.889Z

Last year I shared a star lantern tutorial that I'd been trying to make for ages and couldn't find instructions. This year a friend has shown me how to make the dodecahedron star lanterns - which I had also been lusting after - so I thought I'd share another tutorial to make them easier to find for others.Please excuse the quality of the photos - there is a distinct lack of day light with all of

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-80596535867312057652011-11-07T14:32:00.000Z2011-11-07T15:44:50.718Z

"Bah, humbug!" No, that's too strong'Cause it is my favorite holidayBut all this year's been a busy blurDon't think I have the energyConfession: around ten days ago I was feeling so depressed that it took 7 plays of Christmas Wrapping whilst kneading bread dough and tidying the kitchen in the morning to motivate me to get dressed and face my day (breaking my own no-Christmas-music-until-December

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-22282409516473960942011-11-04T17:41:00.004Z2011-11-04T17:44:27.775Z

I'm back over on the Groupon blog today with ideas to inspire you in the kitchen this November.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-71638788911032320302011-11-03T18:20:00.001Z2011-11-03T22:56:47.932Z

Every family has their own system for how to stay organised. For us, that means a calendar on the wall that is easily accessible to scribble things down whilst on the phone or whatever, and another big attraction to a big family calendar is that it is in full view so it helps us both to mentally prepare for events coming up in the near future.I know a lot of people record things electronically

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-63064680230628293642011-10-31T23:03:00.000Z2011-10-31T23:40:43.987Z

Did you know that it used to be traditional to carve a swede for Halloween before pumpkins took over? I have a very vague memory of one of these from my early childhood and have tried it once before but decided to do it again this year, in the name of education you see - nothing to do with the fact that I was disorganised and found that the pumpkins were all sold out by the time I got around to

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-14695944370489348412011-10-30T17:11:00.004Z2011-10-30T17:31:51.401Z

In my kitchen this weekend: Halloween bark (like a variation on Peppermint Bark) for our Home Ed group Halloween party. I used Wilton orange candy melts, which are a bit pricey (not quite as pricey as that link!) but a better colour and consistency than self-colouring white chocolate yourself. It went down very well so that was a plus!I finally got around to making our Christmas cake - my recipe

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-44410791217220732362011-10-27T10:04:00.002+01:002011-11-13T12:02:33.141Z

When the Hotel Chocolat Christmas catalogue falls through our letterbox there is always a bit of a scuffle to see who gets to look at it first. We love to take our time and savour all of the lovely things inside and we save some pennies especially so that we can choose something extra special to enjoy over Christmas.Imagine our joy, then, when we were recently offered the opportunity to test out

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com94tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-38020705101763083002011-10-25T10:34:00.000+01:002011-10-25T10:57:02.268+01:00

Is there anything better than a hot bowl of soup on a chilly Autumnal day? I think not.My name is Hannah and I am a soup-a-holic! I have written about it so many times but really, I couldn't be a bigger cheerleader for soup.The warmth, the veggie goodness, the chance to include some more home grown healthy sprouts into my diet, the fact that it's freezeable and a great way to use up leftovers,

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-30402477913636739982011-10-24T09:30:00.003+01:002011-10-24T10:11:09.254+01:00

It's not unusual for Cameron to be busying himself in his room for large amounts of time so quite often I don't physically see him until near lunchtime. We always discuss what will be happening the next day so Cameron is always aware of when we're going to be due to leave the house and he is always organised and ready to go when the time comes.Friday morning began in this fashion. I could hear

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-46986129696447741322011-10-19T10:48:00.001+01:002011-10-19T13:12:19.104+01:00

No matter what your favourite season is - it always seems to pass by quicker than any other. The Summer seems to drag on and on for me but my beloved Autumn seems to whoosh by in such a hurry. Last Sunday morning I noticed frost for the first time, the air had that sort of smell, you know it - sort of rotting leaves mixed with gun powder (I'm not making it sound very appealing, I know, but it is)

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-36953744325875798892011-10-18T08:21:00.000+01:002011-10-18T11:02:51.157+01:00

I can no longer count on two fingers the number of times I've written here about balancing work and life. I'm not sure it is ever going to be one of those things I can fix and then forget about. Turning my passions and interests into work and then doing that work from home means that it's often hard to switch off and lately I've had trouble relaxing - meaning I've been both burning the candle at

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-70951468277280108742011-10-17T07:10:00.000+01:002011-10-17T07:11:17.058+01:00

Thank you so much to everyone who baked me a cake for my birthday giveaway! Without further ado, here are the gorgeous cakes...The wonderful @bigmouthedwoman from Twitter baked me an Autumny apple cake with cinnamon and brown sugar.Becky baked me a Chocolate, Toffee and Walnut cake. She called it ugly in her email but I think it looks deliciously gooey! She has written about making it over on her

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-91125128767211766822011-10-14T01:57:00.002+01:002011-10-14T02:22:38.509+01:00

As you already know, my Mum made me an awesome cake for my birthday when she visited last weekend. It was all gone by my actual birthday, though, and so I decided to whip up something sweet to enjoy on the day. A quick glance at my Pinterest boards later and I had decided on Gingerbread Cheesecake. Those mini gingerbread men are irresistibly cute!The one I had pinned was from the Martha Stewart

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-31902767475611969652011-10-11T11:51:00.000+01:002011-10-11T12:04:53.278+01:00

Having thrown myself into all of the wonderful pumpkin recipes doing the rounds recently I have realised that I've been dazzled by the sugary delights and things have gotten a little bit sickly! So, I've been hunting down some savoury pumpkin ideas and this Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Lasagne is one that we both really enjoyed.It's inspired by a recipe from Spooning With Rosie, by Rosie Lovell - a

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-88736882393791990232011-10-10T10:34:00.002+01:002011-10-10T23:59:25.590+01:00

If you were reading here last week you'll know that I'm celebrating my 30th birthday this week. What you may not know is that it falls during National Cake Week - yes, there really is a national cake week! If that were not enough of a reason to crank up the oven, it is also National Chocolate Week. What a great time for a bit of fun and to give away some prizes - yes?! To be in with a chance of

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-73469553480266135772011-10-06T11:59:00.000+01:002011-10-06T12:36:03.537+01:00

When I was seven, children in my class would skip the queue at the teacher's desk and come to me for spellings. Each school report from primary through secondary, the teachers comment on how I was older than my years. And that's how I've always felt - older.Since I was around nineteen, thirty has felt like my "right" age, the age where I naturally would feel like myself. But thirty is approaching

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-78304614551286402042011-10-05T09:54:00.000+01:002011-10-05T10:10:01.565+01:00

A short and sweet post today!After working out how to make Pumpkin Spice Syrup last week, I couldn't resist recreating my favourite seasonal coffee syrup - Gingerbread.As with the last syrup I found that existing recipes require you to sieve after adding sugar so I made my own version again.How to make Gingerbread Syrup:2 cups waterequivalent of about 1 heaped tablespoon of fresh ginger, peeled

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-62310520566701876652011-10-03T20:45:00.000+01:002011-10-03T21:09:09.430+01:00

When I first realised that Cameron had aspergers I read like a maniac, absorbing information, talking to other parents, discussing things at length with Cameron about ways to make things more comfortable for him.We eliminated unnecessary 'bits' from foods, using passata instead of tinned tomatoes, using jam without pips, peeling some fruits and veggies to make them more manageable for him. We

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-21980901776195911552011-09-29T08:07:00.002+01:002011-09-29T09:33:38.786+01:00

Variants of Pumpkin Spice Syrup have been seriously doing the rounds on Pinterest (have I mentioned I'm a bit obsessed with Pinterest..?). Lovely homemade syrups so that you can enjoy those wonderful seasonal drinks without the designer coffee shop prices! Brilliant - especially seeing as I'm a country bumpkin and there are no decent coffee shops within a five mile radius.I tried two different

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-71608588618137272342011-09-28T09:47:00.000+01:002011-09-28T10:38:01.831+01:00

For the first time ever I'm finding enthusiasm for Autumn work in the garden.I'm ashamed to tell you that when we had the allotment I tended to neglect it once the last harvests had come in but now that my plot is right outside the door things are changing.My home grown crops pretty much failed this year - partly because of the weird weather but mostly because of the house move and crazy year

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-67166797113094833432011-09-27T11:27:00.002+01:002011-09-27T12:08:02.786+01:00

With Autumn's arrival comes an abundance of pumpkin recipes and it's not hard to see why they're so popular. Pinterest is awash with pumpkin recipe ideas from classic pumpkin pie to pumpkin and chocolate swirly bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin ravioli, pumpkin lasagne... the list goes on!Many of these recipes are from American sites and blogs and that's where a common problem seems to lie - they

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-54590475624930690632011-09-26T08:42:00.000+01:002011-09-26T09:12:57.330+01:00

So, it's Friday lunchtime and, with Cameron in tow, I'm doing my best to whizz in and out of the supermarket and get home for an appointment but then, like a moth to a flame I am making a beeline for the charity stall at the entrance. How philanthropic, you may think, but no - I'm not that saintly - I had spotted a table of old books and a price tag of 30p each. I'm such a sucker for used book

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-15922987690892250882011-09-25T13:01:00.003+01:002011-09-25T13:27:34.452+01:00

I'm scraping in by the skin of my teeth - the deadline for the September We Should Cocoa challenge is today (where did September go so quickly?!).The theme this month was to make something (including chocolate, of course) that was fitting for We Should Cocoa's first anniversary. It would be predictable to make a cake, wouldn't it? I interpreted the theme to mean that I should bake something

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-51687431046040105172011-09-23T10:42:00.002+01:002011-09-23T11:18:55.803+01:00

I own a lot of cookbooks, some really beautiful ones, some really useful ones. I find so much inspiration between those pages but rarely follow a recipe exactly and so it seems a bit of a waste. But as the weather has been cooling and the evenings have been getting ever darker I have been using a new cookbook - following recipes almost word for word which is very out of character for me. I bought

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-14645096650158463502011-09-22T01:32:00.002+01:002011-09-22T10:37:54.517+01:00

One of the great things about sharing interests with friends and family is the gifting and swaps that happen. This year we have done very well - there were the gooseberries from a friend back in the Summer which were made into chutney and when my Mum came to visit recently she brought me a bouquet of home grown greens and sunflowers, a nectarine frangipane tart and a sourdough starter in return

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-75501710501262301292011-09-21T08:47:00.003+01:002011-09-21T10:23:28.801+01:00

Last weekend as we collected real conkers in the park it reminded me of this recipe idea that's been floating around my 'ideas for Autumn' file for years - Edible Conkers!I've shared a recipe and instructions of how to make Chocolate Conkers over on Hannah's Kitchen today.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-32608750316198040902011-09-19T07:36:00.002+01:002011-09-19T08:50:41.210+01:00

It has been seven months since we moved house - eight since I started blathering on about it here -and it affected me in ways I really didn't anticipate. I feel like I've been lagging behind in a gruelling and relentless obstacle course for that time, running here and there (or not being able to run anywhere) and never quite achieving what I wanted to. There have been good times but also a lot of

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-53865128126353754562011-09-16T07:36:00.002+01:002011-09-16T07:54:21.328+01:00

I've been very restrained about not mentioning this as I know I can bore people rigid but my festive plans have been quietly flowing through the warmer months and now Autumn is here I'm ready to step them up a notch.For the first time this year I wont be able to share a lot of details about my homemade gifts in advance because my family all discovered my blog! However there is plenty to chat

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-89609996516938061382011-09-15T07:30:00.000+01:002011-09-15T07:42:55.261+01:00

I was recently offered the chance to review a raw chocolate kit and I had no idea what to expect. Would it be making raw chocolate from scratch? Would it contain raw chocolate in which to make into something else? How is raw chocolate different from regular chocolate?The Choc Chick Starter Kit contained all the ingredients required to make 32 raw chocolates, plus information on the benefits of

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-76897697864498857312011-09-14T10:48:00.004+01:002011-09-14T11:11:19.683+01:00

I picked up a carrier bag full of tiny balls of wool at a charity shop last year for £2.50. I love the colour combinations and as soon as I saw them I earmarked them for a crochet project but, as crochet isn't a craft I'm very good at yet, they have been sitting in various boxes, bags and cupboards through the house move and general chaos of the last six months.Last week, as more chaos ensued

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-81829252626428064072011-09-07T10:01:00.002+01:002011-09-07T10:27:43.418+01:00

Over on Hannah's Kitchen today I'm sharing my recipe for Peanut Butter and Jam Muffins - how can you resist?!We are deep into home-decorating chaos so I'm going to take a little break until things are a bit calmer! I will be back next week :o)

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-23777623605324730902011-09-05T09:57:00.002+01:002011-09-05T10:10:24.372+01:00

Happy Not Back to School day! We dream of this day from May to September - Autumnal weather, museums and activities without the crowds, freshly sharpened pencils and new notebooks. The start of the academic year always feels so exciting, so full of possibility. We used to celebrate something else at this time of year but, as that special family member has gone into well earned retirement, only

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-77505388922114971432011-09-02T11:11:00.004+01:002011-09-02T12:41:17.432+01:00

Last week I was telling you about our abundance of plums and my plans for what to do with them. On Tuesday I made some rather spectacular jam and it's so good that I want to share it with you. If you're looking for preserves to give away during the festive season then look no further - this is a showstopper! Despite being purple on the outside my plums have yellow flesh and the jam came out a

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-39250164327615171412011-09-01T08:42:00.000+01:002011-09-01T09:37:15.263+01:00

Inspired by the changing season I have been revisiting needle felting. I really wanted to make people rather than just small things and pictures and from reading more about it I have really improved. By using a method where you make a sort of skeleton from pipe cleaners, I found building up my needle felted person much less intimidating and by the time I'd got to doing her hair I was pretty

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-54971397719488386932011-08-31T09:21:00.002+01:002011-08-31T10:21:40.469+01:00

The approach of September and the cooler weather has me all a-glow this week. We've had quilts on beds, dressing gowns, socks, jumpers, hot drinks and porridge for breakfast. Outside my studio window I have a view of some playing fields and the trees are all starting to change colour and drop their first leaves. It's already a beautiful display and it's only just beginning. Those of you who

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-66202416649737672072011-08-30T10:48:00.000+01:002011-08-30T11:11:21.162+01:00

The BBC's Great British Bake Off: 'Ten home bakers take part in a 'bake off', which will test every aspect of their baking skills as they battle it out to be crowned the Great British Bake Off's Best Amateur Baker.' Have you been watching? I don't watch much TV but this programme gets talked about a lot in my online social circles and so I tend to tune in to see what the fuss is about. Each

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-10505520912149718172011-08-26T10:16:00.003+01:002011-08-26T10:28:27.448+01:00

Sometimes Cameron likes to use visual aids with me to drop hints about things he would like when usual lines of communication feel difficult. Perhaps I'm biased but I think Cameron draws incredibly well (the bottom one is an uncanny self portrait, for instance). This week his offerings have been particularly cute - I defy you to look at the cat for 30 seconds and not smile back! Can you

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-40414227496203597242011-08-25T08:03:00.003+01:002011-08-25T11:21:02.494+01:00

When we looked at this house before moving in I was already enchanted by the sheer size of the garden but in the depths of Winter I had no idea of how much abundance it would bestow. There was the cherry tree with its beautiful Spring blossom and then bright red cherries aplenty. And now - more plums than you can ever imagine seeing in one place (not to mention the raspberries, apples and more

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-72828212180456836982011-08-24T10:13:00.002+01:002011-08-24T10:19:11.366+01:00

The nights are drawing in, there's a cooler nip in the breeze, stationery supplies, knit wear and new boots are appearing in the shops and that 'new term' feeling is in the air. Whether you're starting a new term at school, college or university, looking to save money on your work lunches or just going for a picnic it's common knowledge that packing your own lunch saves money and can be a

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-12475961131554994422011-08-22T11:54:00.004+01:002011-08-22T13:30:22.355+01:00

There was much excitement last week when we realised that the elderberries here are ripe. We set off along the canal path to the foraging places we've been scoping out for a while and we were not disappointed. We came home with our basket laden with elderberries and haw berries ready for making Cameron's favourite of my preserves - Hedgerow Jelly! This preserve was by far the most complex and

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-80020514730497948692011-08-17T10:26:00.003+01:002011-08-17T10:42:16.608+01:00

I'm over on the Groupon blog today with a snack idea and recipe for homemade tortilla chips. Cameron and I have had a bit of a thing for nachos this Summer and I love making my own chips so that I can customise the flavours.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-4048764018379284672011-08-16T11:45:00.003+01:002011-08-16T12:11:53.046+01:00

I like to pick up interesting ingredients when I'm on my travels. In our new town we have a multicultural supermarket which I adore and Cameron loathes because I'm so interested in all the new and exciting ingredients that I test his patience with the amount of time I spend browsing the aisles! A few months ago I was intrigued by a tin of rose petal spread and brought it home with me. I had it

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-39165020541037515662011-08-15T10:29:00.000+01:002011-08-15T10:56:27.131+01:00

I teased you with a sneak peek of my patchwork project weeks ago and, although it's been finished a while, I've been dithering over whether to post it because I haven't hung it in its final destination yet as we're about to start decorating (which is why it hasn't been ironed for the photos!). The patch tree was inspired by this photo on flickr. I've had it in my favourites folder for years

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-40097957929542702122011-08-11T11:34:00.007+01:002011-08-11T12:19:47.454+01:00

On average, one evening a week I get a couple of hours to myself whilst Cameron goes to Grandad's for tea. It used to be that I would spend this time working and/or running around getting jobs done while I had some peace and quiet but since getting completely run down this year I am slowly learning to take advantage of the time and rest, or if I'm going to work then to do things that make my

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-1108884388824270692011-08-10T10:27:00.002+01:002011-08-10T10:40:53.721+01:00

I'm over on the Groupon blog today with ideas for how to make the most of blackberry season. *** As I have chosen not to make this a political space, I'm not going to write about the violence and destruction going on but I do want to say that I hope you're safe and unaffected. There's nothing like this kind of situation to make you hold your loved ones extra close and take stock.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-4511381556463556682011-08-08T10:19:00.006+01:002011-08-08T11:04:06.951+01:00

52 weeks of lusting. 52 weeks of saving. 52 weeks of dreaming. 52 weeks of saying "if I had it now it could have saved me time/energy". 52 weeks of patience. 52 weeks have passed... This weekend, she arrived! Isn't she darling? A Kitchenaid has been on my wish list since last year but I couldn't justify spending the money on it so I've been saving a few pounds a week in a jar and keeping

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-24834350397262870282011-08-05T08:53:00.003+01:002011-08-05T09:13:01.227+01:00

After bringing home 2lbs (1kg) of blackberries at the weekend there was a bit of juggling with recipes to decide what to do with them. I wanted to make blackberry and apple curd and also jam but Cameron also was requesting blackberry and apple pie so to make it all work with the ingredients we had I reduced some recipes in order to make a bit of everything. And, as I'm not gifting so many jars

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-12060145420863252082011-08-04T08:54:00.000+01:002011-08-04T09:59:29.237+01:00

When I saw the recipe for Blackberry Curd on Meanderings Through My Cookbook it was more the colour than the idea of taste that drew me to want to try it. That deep smooth purple was too much to resist so with some of the foraged blackberries from the weekend I gave it a go.I've adapted the recipe from the original one I'd read because a) it was measuring in a way I don't usually, and b) it was a

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-73732760215147581882011-08-02T08:37:00.002+01:002011-08-02T08:51:10.756+01:00

It's a festival we usually accidentally miss because we're too busy wishing the Summer away, but this year I remembered about Lammas and we marked the day by making a special loaf of bread.The loaf was inspired by a harvest loaf I'd seen in an old cook book which is meant to look like a bouquet of wheat sheaves.I'm quite proud of how it turned out.I don't know very much about Lammas so I'd be

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-44776773508183625742011-08-01T09:14:00.000+01:002011-08-01T09:33:40.849+01:00

It's been almost six months since we moved here and we have been slowly finding new places to go walking in our new area, all the while, keeping our eyes peeled for good foraging spots.We have spotted so many bushes with an abundance of fruit that have been too close to main roads to pick from but the canal path has been looking extremely promising for some time.We like to stroll along the cool

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-33923998884329611742011-07-29T08:43:00.000+01:002011-07-29T09:09:22.259+01:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.Inspiration from Amanda at SouleMama.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-78210046582861203732011-07-26T09:44:00.001+01:002011-08-09T16:13:58.632+01:00

My working week begins on a Wednesday so Tuesday tends to be our 'down day' when we're on outings, trips or other leisure activities. Tuesday is also the day I tend to catch up on chores around the house which has inspired one of my latest craft projects. I have some aprons that were given to me with logos on the front. I wear aprons a lot and wanted to use them but these ones weren't very

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-11305246022268785362011-07-25T11:27:00.000+01:002011-07-25T12:24:04.509+01:00

I was inspired to make granola this week after reading Heidi's Cherry Almond Granola post over at Food Doodles. Her recipe looks so delicious but I didn't have the correct ingredients to hand so I tampered with it using what I had in the cupboard and the results are extremely moreish!Choc Cherry Peanut Granola1/4 cup of peanut butter 1/4 cup of runny honey (more if you want it to be clustery)2

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-65527157785705831232011-07-20T09:45:00.004+01:002011-08-09T16:12:21.770+01:00

Apologies for my unexplained absence recently. This week I am: :: battling the blues, somewhat :: knowing that the downs inevitably come after the ups and that I will soon bounce back :: reading this book on Burnout and resonating with a lot of what it says :: enjoying Caitlin Moran's very funny book on feminism :: baking farmers market quiche to satisfy Cameron's cravings :: sharing

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-72880078763125566722011-07-14T12:02:00.003+01:002011-07-14T12:27:35.433+01:00

I'm getting so much better at embracing the Summer but there's nothing quite like an Autumnal project to help me through until my favourite season arrives.I'm patching again - with bigger hexagons this time - for a project in the living room that I'm quite excited about.Am I the only one doing autumn crafting in the summertime (or to go one step further - anyone crafting for the festive season

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-14928295374380408962011-07-13T09:51:00.003+01:002011-08-09T16:10:08.207+01:00

I've been extremely flattered that lots of people have been asking to pick my brain about jam making lately! I am by no means an expert but as you will have seen here in the last eighteen months or so I've been doing a lot of preserving! I've written a bit of a beginners guide to Making Your Own Jams and Preserves on Hannah's Kitchen today but I'd also like to open this space up for questions

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-84733690016681021152011-07-12T12:25:00.003+01:002011-07-12T16:00:31.768+01:00

As Cameron turned eleven this year and - in national curriculum terms - is coming to the end of primary education I'm planning to write some blog posts on our experiences in particular areas.I'd like to point out that I stand by what is written in my FAQ section - I do not believe there is a one-size-fits-all way for education and I'm certainly not here to tell others what to do. I'm simply

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-71804384951674794752011-07-11T13:47:00.001+01:002011-07-11T16:25:46.961+01:00

It's such an cliche to say how quickly children grow up. It's true though. This year I'm seeing my boy transform into a teen - despite him being only eleven. He's taller than over half the library staff and is wearing adult sized shoes and clothes. He is grumpy in the mornings, avoids showering at all costs, spends hours in front of the mirror doing his hair and is embarrassed by my every action

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-58478510402035859492011-07-08T08:45:00.000+01:002011-07-08T10:44:38.880+01:00

I finished my Shalom Cardigan last weekend and I'm rather smug about it because it is by far the most technically challenging and the largest thing I have ever knit.I have had this photo of Amanda Soule's Shalom take two sitting in my favourites folder for a long time but assumed it was too hard for me to achieve. I had put the idea out of my mind completely but then I revisited the pattern after

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-83681582410507175252011-07-07T08:19:00.000+01:002011-07-07T09:32:09.884+01:00

Last year I made apricot curd for the first time and it turned out to be one of my favourite preserves of the year - it's a bit of a shame that fruit curds don't last as long as jam because if they did I'd be stockpiling my cupboards with this.It is so smooth and summery and reminds me of the apricot preserves I used to choose with breakfast when holidaying in France during my childhood.Last year

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-731807326189970312011-07-06T09:45:00.004+01:002011-08-09T16:15:09.185+01:00

We spent some time at the weekend experimenting with homemade ice-lolly recipes. On (the new look) Hannah's Kitchen today I've shared some tips on how to make them and a few recipes to get you started.

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-16326325909585222262011-07-05T08:04:00.000+01:002011-07-05T09:49:05.880+01:00

With the plentiful raspberry harvests coming from the garden I'd been looking for new ways to use them and when I saw this picture pop up on my flickr front page from EpicureanPiranha I was intrigued.I'd never tried the raspberry and basil flavour combination but it really appealed to me. Also, y'know, I'm usually up for any excuse to make cream cheese icing!There was no recipe accompanying the

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-53065843407006306742011-07-04T08:55:00.000+01:002011-07-04T09:18:40.018+01:00

It's all happening in the garden at the moment. In the last week we have harvested the first potatoes, peas, strawberries, raspberries and cherries - quite incredible considering how little work I've managed to put in to the garden since we've been here.There is nothing quite as special as the first taste of homegrown peas straight from the pod, is there?I was also lucky enough to be gifted with

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-17263755273222307052011-07-01T10:03:00.003+01:002011-07-01T10:28:51.483+01:00

This year just seems to be relentlessly throwing tests at me. I had finally got a handle on whatever illness had been slowing me down. And then on Tuesday, on our way down the hill to the library I tripped over a raised manhole and fell completely over, scuffing the palms of my hands as I slid down the steep pavement. After the initial shock I was overcome with embarrassment - I hadn't taken a

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-72714840966823378842011-06-30T20:26:00.005+01:002011-06-30T20:48:15.513+01:00

Many of us can relate to the child in the back of the class. The one who sits with hunched shoulders and a frown wishing upon hope that they could be invisible so that the teacher doesn't call on them to answer a question.Cameron used to be that child. Today, though, we hit a major breakthrough at a workshop on rocks and minerals we attended with our local home education group.The workshop was at

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-55640261682967167562011-06-29T10:49:00.004+01:002011-08-09T16:18:02.557+01:00

The sun has finally made an appearance and many of us are heading outside for barbecues, garden parties and the like with friends and family. Special Summery drinks are often called for on such occasions but whether you’re the designated driver, avoiding the dreaded afternoon headache that comes from afternoon drinking, being sun-safe or any of the many other reasons you might not want to drink

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-80644035911442917112011-06-26T22:38:00.005+01:002011-06-27T09:37:46.860+01:00

We had a lovely low-key celebration for Summer Solstice. As planned, it was a picnic in the park followed by much swinging, chatting and knitting.It seemed like a big (yet sad) milestone that Cameron feels he is now "too grown-up" to do any of the midsummer fairy-type activities, stories etc that we have done in recent years but it was fun to mark the day, anyway.I attempted to make some clever

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-11418210375502828502011-06-22T10:31:00.003+01:002011-08-09T16:16:59.156+01:00

I'm really proud to share this Panna Cotta recipe that I have been working on for Hannah's Kitchen this week. I think it's one of my best kitchen creations and it's really easy to make. I hope you enjoy it!

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962929458638432844.post-636055695970885052011-06-21T10:34:00.002+01:002011-06-21T10:56:01.644+01:00

Summer Solstice greetings to you!I have a summery craft project to share with you today.A few weeks ago we brought this picnic basket home with us from one of our favourite antique shops for next to nothing. It's in good condition and is the perfect size for a picnic for two - how could we resist?I wanted to make a fabric lining to pretty it up so, gifted with a bit of time to myself over the

Hannahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14556762165713581423noreply@blogger.com1