nouveau?

New greetings cards from beaumonde cards. The lilac bird card shows a striking resemblance to the Thomas Paul Robin corn silk cushion, shown in my recent new season post. Which came first - the chicken or the egg? I do like the little pink wren with the cheeky tail feathers!

Bird's Nest Cookies look fun to make. From M&M's.

bird's nest cookies

1-1/3 cups (3 1/2 ounces or 100g) flaked coconut
1 cup (2 sticks or 240mL) butter
1/2 cup (120mL) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (480mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 12 ounce package (1-3/4 cups or 340g) "M&M's"® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Baking Bits, divided

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
Spread coconut on ungreased cookie sheet. Toast in oven, stirring occasionally until coconut just begins to turn a light golden color,
about 25 minutes. Remove toasted coconut from cookie sheet; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture, only until combined. Stir in 1 cup (240mL)"M&M's"® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Baking Bits. Form dough into 1-1/4-inch (32mm) balls. Roll heavily in toasted coconut. Place 2-inches (50mm) apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. With thumb, press indentation in center of each cookie. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Remove cookies to wire rack; immediately fill indentations with reserved candies, using a scant teaspoonful in each. Cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

danish designs

The March Elle Decoration made for a good tube journey home, Graphic Grace features the wallpaper of ferm, Denmark. The website shows all the bold designs, each captured in a beautifully styled setting.

Torrone, the delicious Italian nougat. Via delicious days.

torrone
Recipe source: dolcissimo from Maxine Clark, p.60, adapted
Prep time: 30min.

Ingredients (yield: plenty):
100g almonds, peeled
200g whole hazelnuts
100g unsalted pistachios, peeled
2 large egg whites
250g Acacia honey
1 vanilla bean (scraped out seeds)
200g fine sugar
3 tbsp syrup (sugar/water mix 50:50)
optionally: wafer papers for baking

{If you choose to go with the wafer papers, you first want to arrange several of them to evenly cover the bottom of a deep baking tray or baking dish (lined with parchment paper first). Roast almonds and hazelnuts (not the pistachios) in the preheated oven (200°C/390°F) for about 6 minutes or until they’ve become golden brown. Gather hazelnuts in a clean dish towel and rub to remove husks.}

Add honey to pan and bring to a boil. Use a candy thermometer to control a steady heat of 115°C (240°F) until the honey starts to foam slightly.

Meanwhile beat egg whites. Continue to whip the egg whites and slowly add the honey, blend well for about 6 minutes, or until the mass sets. Then stirr in the vanilla seeds (I chose to use real vanilla as opposed to the vanilla aroma as the recipe suggests).

Dissolve sugar and syrup in 2 tablespoons of water in a pot over medium to high heat and gradually bring to a boil. Use your candy thermometer again to ensure a maximum temperature of 148°C (300°F), the sugar should not take on any color. Then remove pot from stove, wait a few seconds until it stopped bubbling and add syrup to the honey-egg-white mass while constantly stirring. Continue to stirr until the mass becomes thick and satiny.

Blend in the nuts and distribute evenly across the baking sheet (with or without the wafer papers). The mass should be about 3 cm (~1 inch) high. On top add - again, if you chose to- another layer of wafer papers and use a second baking tray to gently push down to ensure a even surface.

Allow to cool down at room temperature. Once completely cooled down, cut into squares or bars and wrap up in plastic foil. Wrapped up airtight, let rest for a few days for even better taste.

january

This week chiff :: chaff :: chaffinch will be a month old. January has been a good time to keep up the posting, stay in (aside from work), rest, think about what inspires me and consider the year ahead.

It is exciting to see what is out there, on the web, creatively. So much inspiration shared, I most enjoyed reading Abigail's 'Fragments of me' post last year, such an evocative read and perfect to jog a brainstorm of everything you personally love. I still haven't written my list but it's a luxury to stop for a moment and daydream about everything enjoyed in life, a tonic.

Another memorable post last year is this, from little birds, the first image of the floral arrangement is magical and the sentiment of 'a little pretty corner' is perfect. I'm pleased to read little birds will soon be back, and I continue to enjoy the images captured for 3191.

This blog is a great visual scrapbook for me. If you are reading please share what you think. I've had a couple of lovely comments. I am interested in where this documentation will take me. I am a book designer and daily visual inspiration is so important to keep work moving on positively, from all media. There is also nothing better than a good art exhibition to feel plucked out of the daily routine and amazed, I am looking forward to COLLECT at the V&A.

new season

Clarissa Hulse, London. Fireweed & Grasses cushion from the Rousseau collection and Rheum cushion from the Whistler collection.




































Thomas Paul, New York. Robin cushion from the Corn linen collection and Buds cushion from the Corn silk twill collection. The web site is superb, by Matt Shade.


















































amenity, Los Angeles. Cushion from the Dragonfly, Wildflower and Bloom collections.

Gorgeous new season patterns and colour palettes.
A Stunning Pumpkin Cake, this recipe suits the beautiful leaves.

snow

Early impressions of the generous inch of snow scattered over London on the 24th. All a bit blue, but exciting to rush around the garden, everything so beautifully covered.
Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps

perfect pottery

Here are the creations of Danish Helbak & Scherning, Mette Scherning's porcelain jewellery above and Malene Helbak's pots and tableware below.




















Nutella Banana muffins, another find from delicious days, such beautiful photography and a great read.

nutella banana muffins
Recipe source: delicious days
Required time: preparation 15 min., baking time 25-30 min.

Ingredients (yield: ~12 muffins):
2 eggs
125g soft butter
100g sugar
2 large ripe bananas
100g Nutella
100ml milk
1 tsp baking soda
250g flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g (milk) chocolate coating
for decoration: nuts, sugar pearls, ...

Cream together in a large bowl the eggs, butter and sugar, then fold in squashed banana and the Nutella. Whisk.

In a separate bowl, combine milk and baking soda and blend well. Also separately, mix the flour with the baking powder.

Now alternately blend in a part of the milk mixture, then a part of the flour mix, part of the milk, … until everything is combined. Hereby you have better control over how the consistency of the dough develops.

Now pour batter into greased or paper-lined muffin tins and bake at 180° Celsius (350° Fahrenheit) in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Check if the muffins are done by poking in a wooden skewer - it should come out quite dry and almost clean. Put them out of the oven and let them cool down completely.

Add a thick layer of (milk) chocolate coating and optionally some decoration (nuts, sugar pearls, …).

fine threads

Linda Miller's Standing Birds on the beach and Lapwing.


















Vanessa Lauria sewn CD artwork for The Spinto Band.
Peanut butter banana bread, ultimate comfort food.

retro

Jessie Tait, designer of Midwinter Flower Mist pattern, 1956.
Cup and saucer shown here from capri-eshop.














Lindsey Mann contemporary studio jewellery. These earrings are a bit of a modern interpretation of the pottery motif.

Fairy cakes, just the treat to compliment a Flower Mist tea set.

reflective

"Life is like a river. Some people sail on it slowly, some quickly, and some capsize." (from Moominvalley, November, 1970)

ode to a tree

Egg Press


















Beci Orpin

Beautiful illustrations, one letterpressed and the other cut from wood, each credited.

A sad day, the very high winds pulled over one of the majestic London Plane trees in Gray's Inn Gardens today. I will miss admiring the boughs, bark texture and seeking the cool shade in the summer.

The weather has been mad this year, this tree falling has made me think even more deeply about how humanity is screwing up the planet irreversibly. Instead of a recipe, I think this is a good read Alt Guide: Sustainability and Eating Locally.

intricate beauty

Grainne Morton multi charm brooch.








Jack Cunningham brooch.

Tiny and delicious Beetroot belini.

natural white

Delicate observations made last summer and autumn. Fresh colour for the start of the week.

Yesterday I found and bought 'Inspiration', Tricia Guild's new book. Fantastic, a visual tonic for these cold, dark days. The book is a beautifully created collection of influences and evocative photography. Full of colour.

Audible delight Kristin Hersh's new song on BBC 6music tonight. I'm excited about the new album due out soon.

Sweet Potato Praline Coffee Cake, this sounds very comforting, I made sweet potato mash yesterday, delicious.

line & stitch

The latest edition of Source magazine features the illustrator Kate Miller in an article about preparing for university. I have admired Miller's work since discovering it in Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine. I have chosen 'Summer Postcard' to feature, wonderful bright colours and all that's great about the English seaside.

This Miller illustration reminds me of Rachael Howard's work in print and stitch. The second image is Howard's 'Sunning It', a fabric picture from the Sunbathers series. Both these artist's capture summer time in their unique sketched observation of people and details.

Seaside Guacamole because it's also summery. Today is a sunny day, so must make the most of it.

ceramics & fabrics

More birds, a small one from Stig Lindberg and salt and pepper pots from Jonathan Adler.

Past, present and brand new, birds seem to be an endless source of inspiration. This Eleanor Grosch Sandpiper Pillow spotted on print & pattern is new for Spring.

This time last year I discovered little birds handmade whilst avoiding decorating. Inspiring reading and now glad to be eagerly awaiting each 3191 photoblog entry.

The repeat bird print cushion from Sukie, is a lovely companion to the Sandpiper's.

Homemade Marshmallows for a Saturday.

fine feathers

I have just discovered this striking letterpress wall print from Rare Device. I saw a crow perched high up in the tree outside my window at work yesterday, it was very windy, the tree lurching around and the bird clinging on. I get stressed about deadlines and this small glimpse of perseverance outside inspired me.

Today I am pleased to have purchased this delicate gocco print from Sugarloop in New Zealand. Looking forward to finding just the right frame for this piece.

Another find; a gorgeous web site of perfect cushions and more Leonor Mataillet. One day I will decide which cushions to place in my arm chairs when they are finally recovered, which material is another decision.

Sweet Carrot Salad, something healthy for the weekend.