Feeling grateful on this grey old day

So this is the first day of the holidays that I have actually indulged in the duvet and listening to music. But I am grateful for being busy, for the love and company of my family and friends. Sometimes you need a grey old day to slow you down and make you realise everything you have and not what you think you need.

Book I am currently reading: Perfect by Rachel Joyce 
Next on my Book shelf: Shadow of The Wind

Music: Avett Brothers, Bright Eyes, Ruari Joseph, Low Anthem, Matthew And The Atlas, Chris & Thomas

Broken Chair - Chris and Thomas

Gem x

Growing out of the shared nest

My mind has been wondering to the thought of building my very own nest for years, but this year it's become an incessant yearning. To fuel this fire even more I have 24 hour access to pinterest were I can pin all the kilam rugs and white wash walls and gallery photo walls I want, falling into a world of clean interiors, until my eyelids drop and sleep prevails. I have never wanted something so much .....apart from a guinea pig when I was 6.

My parents although found hard,  could piece together what they could find, and get on the property ladder, it seems increasingly impossible nowadays to climb the greasy ladder of the housing market. Many thoughts hinder my over active mind at the moment; but no more so the urge to be living as an adult. I feel stuck in perpetual '20 something' mode, trying to make ends meet. Without sounding self important/ pompous,  I feel those days should be behind me. In my early thirties with a good job and time spent investing in my career I feel it is time that I should be able to live comfortably ( I don't mean lording it up being fed grapes) But working taps, and a warm house. But the realities are; still living in a shared house, a collection of mismatched furniture to match the sometimes thrown together housemates. Although some of these years have been great fun and I have made life long friends, it gets to a point were the little things (grown up things) do start to bother you. 

So this year it is my aim to scrimp and save and perhaps borrow, so that I can lay down roots in the place that I now call home. 

corners of my rented space

"Future nest Ideas"

Fav dreamy interior blogs are: 

myscandinavianhome

sfgirlbybay

www.remodelista.com

The plumed Nest

thingsfoundalongtheway.blogspot

apartmenttherapy

All image links can be found here! 

Would love to here about your flat/house buying tips! 

Love Gem x

...around here

I've had this one in the drafts for a while now. Thought I'd better post it before it becomes too outdated...

Enjoying bright and sunny walks on the beach. Is Spring finally here? Or have I just jinxed it?!

Amazed at how many beach huts were destroyed in the recent storms. And relieved and thankful our family hut is still standing.

The boy is all about building dens at the moment.

Pottering at home-

Finally hung up some hooks to clear our hallway which gets so cluttered with bags, boots, coats, scooters, etc etc.

A 'new to me' hanging planter I found in a charity shop.

Still loving all things plus sign-y these days. I'm thinking about having a go at making a patchwork quilt in this style...too many projects!

Happy Monday friends!

Maria x

Collaborating with Coastal Creatives

It was a wind blown road trip with my flatmate and friend to Southbourne early this year that established my contact with Coastal Creatives. My flatmate gave me a small voice of encouragement to talk to the shop owner about my little home thrown wares. And I am so glad I did, Louise Mitchell and Rachael Johns are as lovely as their amazing shop, full of coastal delights. All the items are made by British Artists and beautifully displayed by these two very talented stylists.

I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to sell my little pots in their gallery/shop. It was only in January that I was making my new year wishes, (which never get met) but launching my Etsy shop  Home Thrown Studio was one of them,  I had no idea that actually selling my little vessels in a shop would happen this quickly. It's amazing what can happen by a quick conversation with like minded minds, so if you are thinking of setting up your own little creative venture, do it! I found this quote "A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something" by Frank Capra. I strongly believe in this, I never feel more content then when I am making!

 If your local make sure you make a visit! This week Coastal Creatives have a Pop Up Exhibition on the Theme of Flotsam and Jetsam. I loved the sculptures and images made from an array of seashore bounty! My Dad was very impressed with them all, but especially the Whale.  Louise and Rachael  also find the time to run a fantastic beach wedding styling service!

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Louise & Rachael

Happy Holidays - All we need now is the sunshine!

Gem x



Inspired by Spring Recipes

In recent days the sun has been shining and my mind has been distracted on summer; hazy long days, BBQ's on the beach and afternoon picnics that venture into long evenings chatting around a home thrown fire. Some how that same feeling is reaching my belly and it is craving delicious salads, new potatoes slathered in butter and fresh, colourful produce.

So I thought I'd use this new sense of energy to hunt down some new delicious recipes. I like most foods I can cook quickly preferable eaten from a bowl! So you will see a pattern here. I am also going to cut down on the amount of meat I eat and will try and buy local and eat as fresh as possible. Here are my favourites so far! Click on Images for Recipes



1. From the amazing  A Beautiful Mess Blog - Emma's Quinoa Burrito in a Bowl recipe

 

Image - A Beautiful Mess

 



 2. This is one of my favourite quick and easy spring Squid salad, Oh and Sophie Dahl's cook book is stunning! If however verging on Utopian! I wish I had more time on my hands to sit and watch Squirrels! (Skip to 1min in if you can't bare to watch Sophie looking whimsical on a park bench)

 



 

 

3. I love writing this blog, as I am always falling upon other great bloggers who are endless sources of inspiration. Like this one - 101cookbooks This Roasted Squash Chile Salad from the Kinfolk Table book looks the bees knees!

 

 

Image property of 101cookbooks

 

 

4. I can't wait to try out Kinfolks Hobo Meals - All I need is a warm evening, a few logs, some jumper cladded friends and a roaring camp  fire.  



 



 

 

 Images & Recipes co Kinfolk

 

Recipe: Herbed Butter

Ingredients 1 stick of butter, room temperature
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
1 bunch of garlic scapes, finely chopped
1 lime
Salt, to taste

Method Place butter in a bowl and add chopped herbs and the juice of 1 lime. Mash with a fork until the herbs are incorporated. Season to taste and serve on top of sweet potatoes.

Serves 4

Recipe: Fireside Quinoa

Ingredients 1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cup vegetable stock
1 cup toasted pepitas, chopped
Salt, to taste

*2 large pieces of tin foil

Method Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Make a pouch out of the tin foil and place rinsed quinoa within. Pour vegetable stock over the quinoa and securely seal the edges of the tin foil. Leave space within the pouch for the quinoa to expand and double in size. Wait for the fire to die down and place on coals. Check after 15 to 20 minutes, making sure the quinoa is cooked through. Fold in pepitas and season to taste. Serve on top of sweet potatoes.

Serves 4

 

 

My belly is now rumbling like mad,

Happy Spring Cooking!

 

Gem x

 

 

 





Falling into the world of Wes Anderson

Sunday evening we finished an amazingly warm weekend watching The Grand Budapest Hotel. Maria and I had been urgently wanting to see it! I am not going to critique the film here, I'll leave that to the critics. Only it was an absolute Marvel to the eye! (I think Gustave H would have described it in this way)

Here are10 reasons why I feel that Wes and I would make the very best of friends.

Images are from my Favourites: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Mooonrise Kingdom, Life Aquatic, Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, The Royal Teneabaums

• He clearly loves people - All his characters are warm and funny and likable (Apart from his awful villains, who are greedy and spiteful and deserve to face their flaws) 

•  We both LOVE the colour yellow

•  He loves childhood memories - Tents, Music, books, 

• He loves hand written letters

•  He is obsessed with detail and the very fine touches that makes things 'real'

•  His attention to costume and set design is amazing - I would definitely hire him to be my personal stylist

• He loves a good old adventure

•  He celebrates friendships and families in every film

•  He makes outsiders cool

• His world through a camera is better and brighter than life itself and he's not afraid to be silly!

Thank you Wes Anderson, for sharing your world! 

Gem x