Vintage Homes and a Vintage Recipe swap
I have just had lunch with some people from church - I was preaching and they invited me to stay and have lunch with them. It was delicious - melon (first of the season!) with port, lamb with pearl barley and spring vegetables, cheese and a wonderful chocolate mousse with strawberries and blueberries. They live in a stunning house in Riom, not far from Clermont Ferrand (where church is) - dating back to before the 1800s, it has been beautifully restored, and has amazing antiques, and salons with rococo mirrors and paintings round the door. It used to have an internal courtyard that has been roofed in, and so has a balcony inside the house. Oh! It was glorious! It made me want to do amazing things with our "vintage" house - which was probably built around 1850. Our furnishings within are not vintage, or antique...They're mostly from Ikea!
Neither Mr FD nor I are DIY-ers, but hopefully, as we amass a little capital, now Mr FD is working, we may be able to start to do things (or rather, get people in to do things!) to the house. It is much more modest than Peter & Caroline's delightful house, but it still has the potential to be lovely & elegant. Mind you, we'd then have to keep it tidy so pehaps we'll stay off the "elegant" and just go for "comfortable and welcoming"!
Still on the theme of vintage, I recently took part in a Vintage Recipe Swap organised by Tarryn at Butter and Buntings
The idea was to send a favourite recipe, plus something handmade and/or vintage-y to our partner.
My swap partner was Hazel over at Cupcakery who makes the most delicious looking cakes. I was a bit over-awed by the fabulousness of her cakes and wondered what recipe to send. I finally chose something that is known here as "Nicole's Yoghurty Thingies" - after the main ingredient and after Nicole who was a French penfriend who gave me the recipe... However, I'm sure Hazel, should she make them, will make them into something more elegant than "thingies"!!
I also sent some handmade cards, with a slight cupcake theme:
and a little "vintage-y" pot
On the lid it reads "Within you see what pleases me" - and inside there is a mirror! I don't think it is very old, but it is quite cute!
Hazel sent me a fabulous vintage tablecloth:
It's yellow and orange, which matches our kitchen beautifully, but there's no table in the kitchen, so it's in the purple dining room instead! We're not too worried about colours matching here in Dormouse Towers!
And here is Bib showing her approval!
In the interests of truth, I must point out that while the front bowl is laden wth healthy apples the second bowl is full to overflowing of various types of chocolate and boiled sweets brought back from England!
She also sent me a copy of her family favourite recipe for lavender shortcake, plus a pack of lavender. I love shortcake, but have never had it flavoured with lavender so I look forward to trying the recipe...It is on my ever-growing list of things to do over the next couple of bank holidays (1st and 8th May are bank holidays here in France) I shall let you know how I get on.
I can definitively guarantee that mine won't look anything like as pretty as these!
Thank you Hazel for my lovely gifts, and to Tarryn for organising the swap. I hope you like the goodies I sent you, Hazel!
Neither Mr FD nor I are DIY-ers, but hopefully, as we amass a little capital, now Mr FD is working, we may be able to start to do things (or rather, get people in to do things!) to the house. It is much more modest than Peter & Caroline's delightful house, but it still has the potential to be lovely & elegant. Mind you, we'd then have to keep it tidy so pehaps we'll stay off the "elegant" and just go for "comfortable and welcoming"!
Still on the theme of vintage, I recently took part in a Vintage Recipe Swap organised by Tarryn at Butter and Buntings
The idea was to send a favourite recipe, plus something handmade and/or vintage-y to our partner.
My swap partner was Hazel over at Cupcakery who makes the most delicious looking cakes. I was a bit over-awed by the fabulousness of her cakes and wondered what recipe to send. I finally chose something that is known here as "Nicole's Yoghurty Thingies" - after the main ingredient and after Nicole who was a French penfriend who gave me the recipe... However, I'm sure Hazel, should she make them, will make them into something more elegant than "thingies"!!
I also sent some handmade cards, with a slight cupcake theme:
Hazel sent me a fabulous vintage tablecloth:
It's yellow and orange, which matches our kitchen beautifully, but there's no table in the kitchen, so it's in the purple dining room instead! We're not too worried about colours matching here in Dormouse Towers!
In the interests of truth, I must point out that while the front bowl is laden wth healthy apples the second bowl is full to overflowing of various types of chocolate and boiled sweets brought back from England!
She also sent me a copy of her family favourite recipe for lavender shortcake, plus a pack of lavender. I love shortcake, but have never had it flavoured with lavender so I look forward to trying the recipe...It is on my ever-growing list of things to do over the next couple of bank holidays (1st and 8th May are bank holidays here in France) I shall let you know how I get on.
Thank you Hazel for my lovely gifts, and to Tarryn for organising the swap. I hope you like the goodies I sent you, Hazel!
Hello Mouse!
ReplyDeleteSunny and pretty! The kitty is so cute!
Finally I am getting around to all of this... THANK YOU SO MUCH Ms Alison for the absolutely gorgeous gifts, the fabulous recipes and they ever so generous time and effort you put into my package! I was so very grateful to be paired with you- the spiced honey cake has been made more than once at this stage and is a dinger of a recipe! Delighted so I am! Hazel xxx
ReplyDeleteOh hello. Thankyou so much for joining my swap. Im a big fan of shortbread...I cant wait for you to make this and share it on your blog. Such cute cupcake cards you sent, and that little pot is so sweet. Thanks for sharing. xx Taz
ReplyDelete