bathroom update

I can't quite believe that I originally wrote about the start of my bathroom makeover last October, I thought it was much more recent. Well, it is nearly done, but not quite, so here is a bit of my progress.

I planned to put tongue and groove round the whole room and contemplated framing the tiles with the wood. In the end I just took them all off, which was very quick and good fun, and like all good bloggers, I've hoarded them to use for something else.................someday.

 

I found some really cheap tongue and groove ready cut in the perfect length, which meant I would only have to do cuts round the bath, sink and radiator.

 

 

I originally chose the tile colours to detract ones eye from the very acidic yellow bath, but I'm actually really glad they've gone now.

 

I neglected to take any 'during' photos, because you know how it is when you get stuck into something. I didn't baton the wall, I just stuck the boards to the wall with gripfill, and then used tiny panel pins to fix them, the same as I did here. 

 

I put a trim round the top and used a white primer that should impede the knots, and three coats of a water based eggshell finish.

 

I've been meaning to stencil this piece of driftwood for about two years, but finally got round to it recently after buying some stencils from Amazon. The Latin quote means 'it is sweet to relax at the proper time', which is the perfect quote for lying in the bath.

 

I'm loving the look of the driftwood with all the whites.

 

I switched the wooden blind for a small tablecloth that belonged to my Grandmother. I had thought of painting the blind  but it was my brother who suggested taking it down all together and now I love the new window treatment, and the extra light it brings to the room.

 

 

 

So I think that's enough for now, I'll show you the updated chair next time and you might be surprised to know that I've actually painted the walls in a colour - albeit a very pale colour !

 

 

five days a week I masquerade as a chef !

We occasionally open for evening meals in the café where I work. Normally we open from 9 to 5 (with longer hours in the summer), but we do small parties and the odd special event. The second chef (Ferri) is Iranian so we did a Persian night last October. We can only seat 24, but it's all a bit frantic providing starters, mains and desserts in our tiny kitchen.
The Persian evening was great fun and the customers loved the food. Ferri brought in a samovar and beautiful cups for tea and sweet treats to serve after the meal.

I did a tapas night in December, on the week of my big birthday. It was once again rather frantic because there were up to seven dishes each and then two desserts, so I didn't take any pictures. Thankfully I had Ferri to help, I couldn't have done it without her (we also always have another lady, Sally, who does the drinks, serving and washing up !).

A couple of weeks ago some regulars asked if we were doing something for Valentines, but we hadn't planned anything. Then another couple asked, so we thought we'd better !

I put on three starters, two main dishes plus a couple of mains from the usual menu and three desserts. I didn't want to make up loads of things that we wouldn't be able to sell after, and also there isn't much room in our fridges for extra stuff.

 

This was my favourite starter, a stack of mozzarella, tomato and basil, in a heart shape with a drizzle of olive oil, some black pepper and a balsamic glaze. The whole menu is on the café's facebook if you wish to see it. We did all sorts of things with hearts - manchego cheese crisps for the vegetarian puy lentil dish,

 

heart shaped beef patties for Ferri's Persian starter and more fresh manchego cheese hearts that we served with serrano ham. Then there were lots of hearts in the desserts.

 

I made my favourite baked cheesecake, a recipe that I haven't made for about 10 years and which I originally found about 30 years ago. It's a wonderful American recipe with cups for measurements that I changed into our more usual ounces.

 

 

I didn't quite put enough melted butter into the biscuit base, but it was ok when served, especially with the heart strawberries (an idea I stole from Danielle at Silver Pennies).

 

Another favourite dessert I made was Lemon Posset, Raspberry Coulis and Brandy Snaps but maybe I shall do a post on this because I forgot to take a picture of the finished result and it really is scrumptious.

 

The best bit and my favourite bit had nothing to do with the cooking, I much prefer decorating the café !!!

I painted some lining paper with a match pot of black paint, made a template and drew round it to make heart shaped tablemats for everyone who had booked Valentines night.

 

 

They worked well with the red paper we always use on the tables. We had red candles, flowers and chocolate hearts and it all looked really pretty (in our own shabby, beachy, coastal way !!).

We only had 7 couples booked in, so that there was a more romantic feel to the evening with everyone having their own table.

The artist (David) I spoke about here, has recently stencilled our logo onto the floor, and the boss has given us the go ahead to paint the chairs and re-cover the seats. I say 'us' but I mean 'me' because David wants to help painting the fabric, but not the chairs, so it might take some time. At work I'm always cooking and on days off I'd rather be doing my own house.

You can't really tell from my dreadful photos, but it really did look lovely and it's thanks to a great couple Graeme and Sophie who love to sit in the old cinema seats, that the night actually went ahead !

Why am I masquerading ? Because I'm not a professional chef, and I would much rather be painting blackboard hearts and making heart daisy chains than thinking up menus, but unfortunately I have to pay the bills !!!

e-mail hackers !!

Sorry everyone, you may have got some weird e-mails from me trying to sell you stuff.
I can't believe this has happened to me a second time, so I'll change my password and hope that that will rectify it.
Sorry !!!

Btw, my bff, who knows me really well, bought some 'skin' pills because of a link she thought I had sent her - DOH !

decorating with nature's cast-offs !

On the 25th and 26th of last month (I hope you like my subtle reference) we walked my dog on a very wet and extremely windy beach.
I went with my ex and his daughter, but she turned back as soon as the rain started !

I love it, even in bad weather, but the rain did actually stop and the sun came out.

The storms have been very severe on the West and South coast of the UK, causing really bad flooding, fatally large waves and numerous power cuts.

On our stretch of the beach, the ferocious sea destroyed the lives of hundreds and hundreds of wee beasties.

When I saw the first two, I was thinking about running down to the now receding shoreline and trying to revive them , but then looking along the beach, we saw hundreds and hundreds.

 

I've never even seen one on the beach before, so it was all very unusual. It was even reported in the local newspaper.

 

I carefully collected three small ones in a doggy bag and took them home. I'm rather squeamish and they seemed so alive. So much so, that we put them in a bucket of salty water, just in case, but to no avail. The poor wee beasts had lost their fight with nature.

 

Now, they adorn my buffet, because nature is indeed beautiful.

 

 

The storms also left a lot of branches in my garden from my neighbours dead Robinia tree and I'd had them in the kitchen over the holiday season with decorations on.

 

On the shelf is a 'thing' I found on the road side, a metal plate from a small sign. It's not one of nature's castoffs, but nature has given it a wonderful patina.

 

 

 

This morning, on a different stretch of beach, I found this great lump of wood (well, two bits nailed together actually) and decided there needed to be a little change around.

 

 

  So my mini cloche got a new throne.

 

 

And another lump of driftwood got to be on show.

 

 

(I know there are crystals in the bird bath, that's another post for another day)

 

I left the reindeer, because reindeers are like puppies, they're not just for Christmas. And contrary to what it looks like in the photos, there's no danger of anyone poking their eye out as they walk through the door !

a post Christmas, Christmas decoration post !

Over here the decs can stay up till Twelth Night, and as mine only went up the week before Christmas they're here to stay for a couple more days and I nearly forgot, to post about the no-cost decorations in the café where I work, so here is a post Christmas, Christmas decoration post !
Bliss reminded me, when she asked about the star I made for her Christmas in July party !

I made it from part of a vegetable crate, and I intended to make a lot more, but in the end the vegetable crates were turned into something much better. Recycling packaging for the decorations, works with the cafe's ethos, locally sourced food, organic where possible, and fixtures made from broken groins and beach junk.

 

There are some artists studios next to the café, and the most prolific artist (and the oldest) is David Barber. He's very grumpy, especially when he's having his photo taken !

 

 

I asked him to make a reindeer for our windowsill, out of the veg crates, and he made Blitzen.

 

 

Sculpted him perfectly and decorated him with shells and bottle tops.

 

And Donna, flying through the sky past garlands made of garlic plaits and order tickets,

 

and driven by Pingu ! (sorry about the photos)

 

I made baubles out of camembert boxes, bottle tops, packaging and recycled ribbons.

Christmas trees out of egg cartons, driftwood and more bottle tops.

 

And hopefully Blitzen will be coming home with me because contrary to his photo, David is quite a sweet old bloke. So, I promise, no more Christmas, not for 11 months or so (unless Bliss has another Christmas in July party !).

 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2014 x

 

 

anyone for a cuppa ?

Well, the presents are under the tree.

 

The table is laid with blue and white china, green glass bowls with sprigs of rosemary and bay from my garden and tiny mercury glass baubles.

 

 

 

The paperwhites make a centrepiece with driftwood and tiny silver candles that I will light on Christmas Day.

 

 

I added more baubles and bay to a twiggy wreath I found on sale and hung it from my mirror.

 

 

So why don't you come on over for a cuppa. I have Indian or Earl Grey tea, or I may even have some herbal tea if that is your preference. You could have a mince pie, a Lebkuchen (yummy German biscuit with ginger and cinnamon) or a piece of panettone, which my boss kindly gave me for Christmas. It's all laid out and ready for you to visit anytime.

 

 

There are a few savoury nibbles too.

 

If you can't make it, that's fine, I know it's a very busy time of year for everyone.

 

 

I'd just like to say, that I hope you all have a....

 

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

with love from Fiona xxx