Me and My Glass Jug

Thursday, 23 May 2013 by 15 Comments

My friend’s parents in law own a holiday home in Italy and they apparently drink a lot of wine when they are down there. They drink wine from jugs and my friend gave me one of those jugs as apparently they drown in them, makes me wonder how much wine they actually drink.

This may sound weird but I’ve never owned a glass jug as I’m quite into ceramics and never really thought of the idea that I also could use glass to decorate with.

So I went into the garden, cut off some branches of my overgrowing viburnum (lice included) and put them in the jug. I had to combine it though with my ceramics because the thought of more glass made me shiver. I do however really like the outcome and I might even try to work a little more with glass. So don’t freak out if there appears another glass jug or vase on my blog.

The incense burning house is from Muji, the letterpress bird print is from Dutch Door Press, the bunny tea light is from the Mugtail collection, Google to find a stockist near you and the trio of ceramic vases are all from IKEA. Oh and I bought the faux reindeer head here and the real one at a flea market.

Filed Under: Decorating, My Home

Coming Up Roses

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 by 5 Comments

Just two days before the doctor let my father in law go I got the most exciting e-mail from the press department of Cath Kidston, I was invited to celebrate Cath’s 20th birthday of being in business. In all the excitement I booked a ticket and a hotel room not considering that at some point we had to have a funeral in that same week. So when the funeral day was announced it was still possible for me to travel up to London, and travel back the next day. But I felt weird about that as I felt that I needed to be there for my husband and for my mother in law. Both pushed me in to going on Wednesday April 17 so I would be home long before the 20th, the day of the funeral.

So I was back in London, once again and Spring had sprung in Notting Hill, where I stayed.

In the afternoon I had a tea date with the lovely Tina from Colour Living at the Orangery at Kensington Palace where I had a beautiful white peony tea and a mini scone. I’ve met Tina at MTB London last March and, although we didn’t have much chance to chat, I instantly really liked her. So it was good to have a long natter with her loveliness. Thanks Tina xox

Around 17:00 It got this exciting text and waited in the hotel lobby for my ride to CK head offices also in Notting Hill.

It was a real party with beautiful cocktails and delicious food, candle making, cake decorating and at the end gorgeous goodie bags for us to take home. We were allowed to take everything home, cake tins and aprons included.

There was a small presentation, showing us the new Coming Up Roses goodies and this film. It’s really fun to watch as it tells the story of how Cath started her business 20 years ago.

It was all so much fun and I would love to thank Charlotte Knott and Charlotte Jay for your big support and for your help creating this lovely clip from last weeks episode of Shoot where I visit my favourite Cath Kidston shop on Marylebone High Street in London. There is more to this clip but that’s for a next post.

Filed Under: Out & About, Press, Sponsors

Turnip Tops Mash

Tuesday, 21 May 2013 by 11 Comments

… and introducing ReciPress and everyday meals.

Today I want to introduce you to the everyday meals Boris and I eat. I’ll try to do two meals a week as long as the spring / summer light is good for indoor photography during dinner time.

You might all have to consider that during dinner time Boris will have to wait before he eats so that you can get to see what we eat. I love him so much for that, the always; "wait I have to photograph this" moment he patiently waits. Bless him.

I’m also going to work with the WordPress plugin ReciPress, see below.

Turnip Tops Mash

food-turniptopsmash01

By Yvonne Eijkenduijn Published: May 21, 2013

  • Yield: 2 Servings
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Ready In: 25 mins

The Dutch love their potato mashes. This one is a bit different but very tasteful. Per serving 300 kcal (without the meat)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Peal the potatoes and boil them with salt as you'd normally boil your potatoes.
  2. In the meantime chop the turnip tops.
  3. When the potatoes are ready mix the raw turnip tops with the potatoes, add the coconut milk to make a bit creamier.
  4. Serve with minced veil, like sausages or meatballs and a a bit of spicy mustard for kicks. Enjoy!

WordPress Recipe Plugin by ReciPress

Filed Under: Food, Meals

Home & Soul Improvement

Friday, 17 May 2013 by 33 Comments

So I thought I was ready to be back to be a full-time blogger but apparently I wasn’t.

Everything we were doing in the house was left for the sudden death of my father in law. So when we came home after the funeral we were quite shocked about the mess, unfinnished projects and even dirt we left behind. Regular readers know that Bo and I are very organised and clean people so to us having dust bunnies, spattered cath food over the floor and dirty toilets is a nightmare … a nightmare is understated … it’s the end of the world.

So we were at the end of our world, we had to get back on track.

We worked for 2 weeks very long days and we’ve accomplished so much with the help of our friend. Living room finished (only the decorating is unfinished), bookcase made, my office moved, office bookcases sold and swapped …

The garden was overcrowding the greenhouse so we’ve moved that to a sunnier spot.

I’ve painted so much until I had blisters, I’ve made many lunches, done a massive amount of box unpacking, done some much needed crying and restyled my blog as I was having technical theme problems. And now I’m officially back to be being a full-time blogger. So much happened in the meantime and I have so much to share with you.

Thank you so much for visiting me, for your patience, the sweet comments and the lovely e-mail.

Have a wonderful weekend xox

Filed Under: Life & Style, My Home, Renovating, Yvesworld

Dahlia Kick Starting

Monday, 29 April 2013 by 14 Comments

In a couple of weeks the chicken will get a bigger coop as the garage is fixed up and we’ll be able to park inside.

This is basically the plan. The gravel will go out, the fencing will be replaced from left to right and the greenhouse will be in corner. I’ll plant Dahlias all along the fence to get some colour in as it’s a bit boring right now.

But, as always, I am a bit impatient so I’m kick starting my Dahlias in pots in a mini greenhouse. I’ve done this before and it works brilliantly.

This is also the time to do it. Planting Dahlias in the cold ground will make them die as it’s too cold but kick starting them in pots and planting them out in June will give you very early flowers and that’s what we want.

I’ve cut out the wrapper pictures and stuck them on to the pots so that I know which one is which. I’ve reused the containers of the Lavatera plants I’ve bought last year. I really love the colour and the shape. I’ve bought that mini greenhouse a year ago for just €19.95 and it’s brilliant. It’s housing sweet peas and tomatoes.

Have a happy monday xox

Filed Under: Garden, Planting

Snuggle Up, I’m Back

Thursday, 25 April 2013 by 33 Comments

Thank you all so much for your sweet words, for the cards, text messages, e-mail and even for your presence during the emotional time of saying goodbye to my father in law.

On Monday and Tuesday Bo and I spent the whole day doing paperwork, running both our own businesses, the tax company doesn’t give a damn when someone’s loved one past away. So we are back on track. We are not so back on track with the house. All of the four downstairs rooms are upside down, completely and utterly upside down. You have to know that for the past 3 years the right side of the downstairs rooms were renovated and decorated but the left side of the rooms were not. Now that we have renovated all the rooms all the functions of the downstairs rooms have changed. For what was my office is now the snug for what was the dining room is now my office … Leaving a chaos of boxes, books, posters, paintings and furniture.

While Bo is building the bookcase in the living room I went on to my former office and turned it into a snug.

First by emptying the room and giving all the paint a fresh coat of white. As you can see the difference between the freshly painted white floor and the yellow skirting boards, they used to be the same colour.

Late Tuesday night I started to move furniture in. Reusing my old desk, by removing the oilcloth, as a side table and I left the Bertoia chairs for extra seating in the room.

I got this sofa for free in a really dirty, ghastly burgundy flowery fabric (I forgot to take a before picture, shoot) and let it newly upholster. It cost me half the price of a new sofa and it saved a lot of waste, reusing people we have to reuse stuff!

Ever since the internet is dominating my life I find it hard to sit down and read a book as I feel so distracted and lured to all the information and inspiration I get off the internet. So I’ve created a corner where I’ll read and where I plan new trips.

But it’s not all done, I’m still left with the black piano (should I paint, or should I not paint) next to the black marble mantle (definitely not paint) debacle.

The what put on top of the blue cabinet and pink polka dot wall debacle and I’m not certain about curtians. But that’s, to me, the fun of decorating. Letting it go, living in it a little, change something, add something, remove something. It’s an ongoing process of evolution.

1. Muuto e27 pendant 2. Alice Tait Map of London 3. Alice Tait Map of Paris 4. Cushion Tas-ka Huis Pink 5. Original BTC Hector Table Lamp

The big pink pendant is from Cath Kidston and is no longer for sale.

It’s good to be back charring.

Filed Under: My Home, The Snug

Goodbye Frans

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 by 94 Comments

On Friday the 12th of April at 15:18 my father in law said his last goodbyes to his loved ones. We were all there when the doctor relieved him from his life, thanks to modern thinking.

Blog life and work is on standby until he’s cremated on Saturday.

Lots of love,
Yvonne xox

Filed Under: Life & Style, Yvesworld