These are a few of my favourite things #14

 

Lifestyle:

Christmas Flower Arrangement

We bought some winter flowers to go in the conservatory

for over Christmas and they’ve been a lovely focal point.

Knitted Santa Grotto

We went on a winter walk, and admired someone’s 

amazing effort to make a knitted Santa grotto.

Christmas Jigsaw

I’ve been working on this jigsaw for a long time 

now. I’m hoping to complete it for New Year.

Films:

The Christmas Setup

'Hugo heads to Milwaukee with his best friend, Madelyn, to 

spend the holidays with his brother Aiden and his mum,

 who is in charge of the local Christmas celebrations.'

This was a really fun film with a great cast. 

A perfect holiday romantic comedy for the season.

Christmas Everlasting

'After her sister’s death, Lucy returns to her hometown 

to discover that she must spend 30 days there 

in order to claim her inheritance.'

This film was surprisingly poignant, I thought the 

lead actress did a great job. Lovely film.

The Christmas Contest

'Sparks fly between a former couple as they 

compete in a Christmas contest to win money 

for a charity of their choosing.'

This was a new release to television. It’s 

perfect escapism, and I enjoyed the humour.

Books:

The Christmas Eve Tree by Delia Huddy

A homeless boy discovers the magic of Christmas when he excepts an unloved 

little fir tree from a shopkeeper. People of all backgrounds gather outside as the 

boy lights the tree with candles on Christmas Eve. I loved the meaning behind 

this story, and the unexpected but beautiful conclusion. The illustrations are stunning.

Winter Sleep by Sean Taylor

This is a story about a boy, and his beloved grandmother who teaches him about animals, and 

nature. He finds as winter comes that the animals hibernate. This is a wonderful picture 

book, showing children about how animals survive in winter. The art work leaps of the page.

A Christmas to Remember by Anton Du Beke

Set in London, 1938 in the Buckingham hotel we get to know the staff, and guests as well as the ballroom dancers who are there to entertain. Nancy Nettleton, a chambermaid falls for one of the dancers Raymond de Guise and we follow their preparations and buzz about the upcoming wedding.

I thoroughly enjoyed following all the characters at Buckingham hotel, and experiencing that time period. It’s a whopper of a book at nearly five hundred pages, but it’s paced well and kept me interested throughout. There were some beautiful, endearing moments between the characters as well as some exciting plot twists.

My Friend Sleep by Laura Baker

This is the most stunning picture book about the magic of dreamland as 

you sleep. Perfect to read just before bed with a child, or even as an 

adult. The illustrations and narrative are so calming.

Wild About Books by Judy Sierra

This is a picture book story of a mobile library librarian who accidently drives into 

a zoo. The animals are very curious and can’t wait to learn about reading. I love 

books about books, and this struck me as one that could be a classic.

Stardust by Jeanne Willis

This is a story about a girl who wonders about her place in the world. Her Grandad teaches 

her wisdom about how everyone is made of stardust and the wonder of the universe. Ultimately, 

the meaning lies in the girl’s friendship with her Grandad. A great read set in winter time.

Clarice Bean: Think Like An Elf by Lauren Child

This is a book about a Clarice, her family, and the traditions they have over Christmas. Clarice 

really wants to keep the Christmas spirit so she tries to do as many good deeds as she can.

I’m only half way through this but I’m really enjoying it. It’s a lovely children’s book aimed at 

I would say 7-13 years old’s, written in a cheerful way, including plenty of gorgeous illustrations.

Let me know in the comments some of your festive highlights. 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year! :-) Xx

Christmas Tree Scones + A Merry Christmas

Themed scones are one of my signature bakes and recently I made Christmas tree scones. I like using cookie cutters to make different shapes, on this occasion they seemed a little more festive as Christmas trees. Scones are pretty easy to create, and there are many recipes out there. I used a recipe from a baking book called cookies and cakes for beginners. I added sultanas to the mixture, for a little extra sweetness. On another note, I just wanted to take a minute to wish my readers a lovely Christmas. Hope to connect with you in the new year, write to me in the comments any time.

Let me know if you have been baking. 

Do you have a recipe you keep coming back to? :-) Xx

Green Christmas Ideas + A Book Review

 

I’ve been reading a really interesting book called The Christmas book by Sheherazade Goldsmith. I was impressed with the authors ideas, and would recommend the book to those who would like a simpler, greener Christmas. Being more eco-friendly was at the heart of the book. The pages are beautifully presented and I came away with some valuable inspiration.

I jotted down some of my favourite ideas that I would like to try for myself:

Plant A Winter Garden. 

“Scented plants, and scrubs with richly coloured berries and leaves keep 

a garden looking interesting during the long winter months.”

I liked this idea because it’s outdoors, and just shows you can garden any time of the year!

Gift Plant Cuttings.

“Cuttings taken from your favourite plants and potted up as

 gifts in decorated pots will always be appreciated.”

I would be really pleased to receive this as a gift, and it’s one of the best eco-friendly options.

Make Pot Pourri.

“Delicately scented rooms are somehow more inviting, and the 

subtly uplifting aroma of a pot pourri will make the home seem cosier.”

I’ve never made pot pourri but I would love to try.

Make Edible Bird Decorations. 

“A garden full of wildlife is always uplifting sight on a winter’s day.”

I love this idea and would get enjoyment from seeing the birds.

Make Natural Christmas Cards.

The author gives some examples of cards you can make using natural materials. She uses cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, etc. It’s possible to make really effective designs relatively easily. I already make cards, using mostly recycled or gifted materials but I have found some new ideas here. If you are all set for cards now, you could make something similar in the form of gift tags.

This is one of the best eco-friendly related Christmas books I have come across, as it’s a comprehensive guide, focusing on activities, making things for yourself, and getting outdoors.

I had a go at making my own Christmas crackers, as I wanted to cut down on excess packaging and plastic. These ones were very simple to make, I used toilet rolls, recyclable paper, left-over ribbon, and a few stickers. Inside each I included a riddle and a Christmassy question.

Let me know if you are opting for a greener Christmas. 

I would love to hear if you have any ideas or traditions.

These are a few of my favourite things #13

 

Books:

A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement 

and a Vision for the Future by David Attenborough

I really enjoyed this book. It had a nice balance of the nitty-gritty and a vision for a more hopeful future on planet earth. As an autobiography I found his experiences really interesting. In his words for the future there were some significant concepts I hadn’t heard a lot about such as demographic transition, marine protected areas, ocean forestry as well as some other terms.

I would say this book is a starting point and it’s good to read up on climate change from all angles. The book was very accessible which is great because I think people will be more likely to read it. David Attenborough’s narration was a treat and listened along to it while reading the book. I found it easy to digest.

Create Your Own Calm by Becky Goddard-Hill

This is a children’s self-help book, giving tips and advice to manage stress or down thoughts. I felt this would be a manageable read for seven years or above. Reading it as an adult, I still gained some insights. Words such as cognitive distortions, emotional ‘anchors’ and feeling ‘hangry’.

I consider children’s self-help books to be still quite niche. I can’t remember coming across a book like this before. I would imagine it triggers some interesting talking points. The writing was straightforward and kind. I also liked the way it was set out.

Gizzi's Season's Eatings: Feasts & Celebrations from 

Halloween to Happy New Year by Gizzi Erskine

This is a recipe book for the A/W months and the gear up to Christmas. It’s beautifully presented, including lots of aesthetically pleasing photos. I did gain some inspiration but I don’t think I’m the target audience. I can see the appeal, although I think my Christmas would look very different to the authors. It would make an appealing coffee table book.

My favourite recipes included curried eggs, clementine and ginger trifle, and the French dip Christmas left over sandwich. I liked the advice sections covering things like how to set a table, how to organize a fireworks night and when to prepare food for the festive season. I would recommend this book to 20-30 year olds who adore going all out with Christmas, or anyone with an eye for food photography.

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

This book asks some really big questions about us, the cosmos, and life itself. It’s a science book that is accessible for children or adults. Some of the remarkable things I learnt include how space curves in a way which allows it to have no actual edge or boundary, but at the same time allows it to be finite.

Mind-bendingly, according to some scientists we may be only one of millions of advanced civilizations. I enjoyed revising my knowledge of atoms and some of Einstein’s famous ideas. I couldn’t recommend this book enough as it certainly piqued my interest. It’s one of those topics that fascinates me.

The Perfect Christmas by Debbie Macomber

The premise of this was really fun. Cassie wants to find a perfect match for the holidays. She hires Simon, professional matchmaker to find her ideal partner. The Christmas tasks that she had to do made the book for me, for example being a charity bell ringer, being Santa’s elf, and hosting a Christmas meal. 

The side-characters are well written and the humour was lovely throughout. I read the book in two days; I glided through it. If you are after something Christmassy, I would recommend this. The story was perfectly festive and cheesy, pure escapism.

TV:

An Audience with Adele on ITV

There’s been a big buzz around Adele lately. I’d been mostly watching video clips on YouTube and listening to her new album on Spotify but my Dad mentioned a TV programme called An Audience with Adele and I thought I would give it a go.

Adele performs songs from her new album, along with some old favourites. In the audience, there were a mixture of celebrities and fans. The music paused occasionally for the audience to ask questions, and for Adele to chat. My favourite songs are hold on and easy on me, and they were performed beautifully live.

Podcast:

Living Smart Podcast

I’d been trying to find some engaging environmental podcasts to listen to and stumbled across this one. It’s based in Australia covering topics such as getting creative with rubbish, solar panels, circular economies, sustainable neighbourhoods, and much more. Most of the podcasts are around 20 minutes long, so pretty bitesize. It’s run by an Australian city council, and I’ve been enjoying making my way through the episodes.

Beauty:

The Body Shop Black Musk Fragrance Mist

I asked my local body shop representative for a Christmassy fragrance recommendation and she mentioned this one. The scent is perfect for winter, the mist lasts a long time after spraying and I would recommend it to others. This product is vegan, has the cruelty-free leaping bunny logo, has 95% ingredients of natural origin and the packaging is recyclable. 

Top notes: Pear, pink pepper and bergamot.

Mid notes: Liquorice root 

Base notes: Black vanilla and black musk. 

Do you have any christmassy book recs for me?

Did you catch An Audience with Adele on TV too? :-) Xx

These are a few of my favourite things #12

 

Books:

Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton

Wabi Sabi is a Japanese concept that is very difficult to define. Beth does a great job of teaching her readers about what is means, including philosophical ideas about life and imperfection. She breaks down her thoughts and experiences into chapters such as living with nature, acceptance and letting go, cherishing the moments and more. 

Her beautiful journal describes the customs of Japan and she includes advice to live a perfectly imperfect life. I found many of her ideas very moving and the authors experiences of Japan jumped off the page. If you are looking to tune back into yourself, and simplify while learning what’s important, I would recommend this book. A truly sensational read.

Cinnamon Spice & Warm Apple Pie: Comforting Baked 

Fruit Desserts for Chilly Days by Ryland Peters Small

This is a baking book covering autumnal bakes and desserts. Examples include crumbles, cobblers, puddings, pies, etc. The recipes looked really promising and I’m now buzzing to make a crumble or pie. The pear and chocolate crumble looked amazing in particular.

Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

Thoroughly enjoyed this and it was something a little different for me. Sylvie and Dan are working on their marriage, they have two beautiful girls but need something to respark the magic between them. I really warmed to the characters and humour.

100 Top Games Apps Made Easy by Julian Richards

I picked this up to get some ideas on what games I could play on my phone (or a tablet). The book had a range to suit different preferences such as arcade, adventure, puzzles, trivia, etc.

Each page was laid out well and included all sorts of relevant and helpful information. I mostly looked at the free games, and there was a good number of options.

The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle by Alison Inches

This is an excellent children’s picture book, educating its readers about recycling in a fun and engaging way. The story is told like a diary from the point of view of a character going through different stages of plastic, starting as crude oil and ending up as a recycled plastic.

Of course, we can’t rely on recycling. Planet earth is running out of resources but I learnt some new terms such as polymerization which is the change that happens to crude oil when it’s being made into plastic. I liked the authors perspective and can see children learning a lot. I think it’s important to look at problems from all angles so read other books too!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle by Rebecca Rissman

This wonderful book puts a positive spin on how waste is affecting our planet. There are lots of interesting ideas and stories of people making an impact. Some of my favourite ideas include giving employers their own mini bin to make their consumption of waste more apparent. 

Encouraging paperless schools, using tablets instead. Educating people about reusables as well as upcycling. This book was great and I would recommend it to those interested in making a difference. The pages were set out nicely, making it pleasing to read.

The House at Pooh Corner by A.A.Milne

This is the second book in a series. The story of Pooh and his friends is a so quaint and adorable. It was first written in the 1920’s and you could feel while reading that it’s a classic that has stood the test of time. I found myself laughing at the characters humorous moments.

Lifestyle/Miscellaneous:

Non-Fiction November on YouTube

I’ve been really into following some book youtubers who are taking part in non-fiction November. If you don’t know what this is, it’s a month of reading more non-fiction throughout the month. It’s like a book club, with prompts, and many book enthusiasts have been sharing their reading. Type it into YouTube to see for yourself.

Autumn Photography

This autumn I’ve been particularly prolific with my photography, capturing some autumnal scenes. Click here to view one of my photo diaries. I might make a part two.

Which of these books did you find most interesting?

Have you been following non-fiction November too? :-) Xx

Jigsaw Log #8

 

Welcome to a new jigsaw log. I’ve been working on this jigsaw for a while now, and I completed it earlier this week. The image features Positano, Italy, famous for its iconic views. I originally bought this puzzle with my Grandma, she seemed to think it would be a good one to do, with its varied colour and detail.

My Mum and Gran completed it before me, but I decided to come back to it, after their positive review of it. Compared to other 500 piece puzzles, the difficulty level was fairly easy and I felt the jigsaw pieces were well made. The brand is Trefl and we bought it from The Works.

Here are some tips if you are interested in jigsaws:

1.) When choosing a jigsaw, go for colours and designs that appeal to your personal taste, this will add to your enjoyment.

2.) Start easy and work your way up. 500 pieces or less are a good starting point.

3.) Have something to listen to in the background, such as music, a podcast or audiobook.

Do you have any jigsaw recommendations or tips?
Also, do you listen to anything while you are jigsawing? :-) Xx

Autumn Walk Photo Diary

I recently went on a walk with my camera and found some interesting things to photograph. I love this time of year when the leaves fall, and the beautiful colours. The light can be worth noting too. Let me know if you enjoyed my photos, and leave a link if you have done a photo diary recently.

Thanks for stopping by. :-) Xx