Front Porch Fall Decorations starts Today
Yes, I know, It´s still kind of warm, but we have to face the fact that it be colder soon. So I removed the summer decoration (bye bye) from our front porch and started to put up things that welcome a long and golden fall. However, one thing is already settled for later. Santa did make a reservation for the armed chair.
My first book "Backen mit Love"
For 9 Months my hubby and I were working on this book project (we started Jan 1st 2013, no it was not a new year´s resolution). It has always been sort of something, where we did not know if it was really real. Since yesterday, the book appears on German Amazon for pre-order (release date Nov 18th in time for XMas). I guess, in today´s world if something is on Amazon it must be real. Doesn´t it. So I am proud, overexcited and hope that people will like it. "Sorry" to all of you outside Germany, it´s in German but maybe some day we will translate it. At least you can see the pictures. My hubby set up a new website around the book. Once we get closer to the release date we´ll post more stuff incl. some videos. The website is called like the book: www.backenmitlove.de
Season Closing Outside Afternoon Teatime
Last Sunday, we ended the outside teatime season with a bang. I did some seasonal baking and an irresistible autumn decoration. One of our favorite cakes was the choc & caramel cheesecake with chocolate sauce on top! I also offered a warming autumn fruit crumbler with an almond cookie topping, yummieh!, and a delicious ginger cake with fudgy frosting - it really was the perfect september outside retreat!
Luckily I had a visit from my dear friend Rosey Sugar from Japan. She helped me with everything. If you have don´t know her and have not seen her cookie decorations. Please go to her website right now. She is an artist.
This is the season of harvest and gorgeous shades of brown, rust, copper and green. I tried to brighten up the tables with some seasonal finds. You can easily transform an teatime table into "woodland wonderful" with all those coloured leafs, lampion flowers, rose hips, wooden candle holders, pumpkins and so on.
All the vintage plates and cutlery just made tea-time truly glorious and the granny extra proud! Great to look at was the pretty table runner, the cheeky knitted tea cosy and the tiered cake stands. It was a beautiful sunday with lovely people around - a feast for the senses.
Luckily I had a visit from my dear friend Rosey Sugar from Japan. She helped me with everything. If you have don´t know her and have not seen her cookie decorations. Please go to her website right now. She is an artist.
This is the season of harvest and gorgeous shades of brown, rust, copper and green. I tried to brighten up the tables with some seasonal finds. You can easily transform an teatime table into "woodland wonderful" with all those coloured leafs, lampion flowers, rose hips, wooden candle holders, pumpkins and so on.
All the vintage plates and cutlery just made tea-time truly glorious and the granny extra proud! Great to look at was the pretty table runner, the cheeky knitted tea cosy and the tiered cake stands. It was a beautiful sunday with lovely people around - a feast for the senses.
Sweet & Happy Birthday Placemat
Since visitors for the first PopUp-Tearoom at my house this fall will mainly celebrating a birthday I had to come up with the appropriate placemat for the table decoration. I went through a lot of stationary material for inspiration. I am far from perfect of drawing something from scratch (especially living things) but with a little inspiration I am quiet good in modifying it for my own purpose. So after a rough overview sketch, I made a hand drawing and did the coloring in the computer afterwards. Whilst doing this, I got more and more comfortable with fall colors and I think I have finally accepted that summer moved on.
The Knitted Lampshade
After 1 week holiday around England's coast staying at Lyme Regis, the Duesseldorf airport welcomes us with heavy rain! This is really what makes you feel bad. And since I had my most beloved Cream Tea every day, I felt that I can't do any baking today. Too many calories to count for...that's why it was clear that I need to start a craft project. With the help of my friendly hot glue gun and an old sweater out of the winter cupboard I got started: A new dress for the lampshade.
Well, well, I finished it and want to share the result with you. But with only the grey sweater, I felt that it needed something else, that's why I added the crochet and the pompom border at bottom and top. But still it looked kind of none finished, that's why I added a rich pompom in the middle and attached a heart out of buttons in matching colors. Now that's what I call a pretty enriched lampshade after all, right?
And the heart of buttons turned out so nice, that I am thinking about doing some X-Mas ornaments with this technique. Could be in red color then? Or green maybe? We will see!
Well, well, I finished it and want to share the result with you. But with only the grey sweater, I felt that it needed something else, that's why I added the crochet and the pompom border at bottom and top. But still it looked kind of none finished, that's why I added a rich pompom in the middle and attached a heart out of buttons in matching colors. Now that's what I call a pretty enriched lampshade after all, right?
And the heart of buttons turned out so nice, that I am thinking about doing some X-Mas ornaments with this technique. Could be in red color then? Or green maybe? We will see!
Farewell to Summer ?
The end of the school holidays have snuck on me yet again. I cannot help myself but thinking, that this is maybe also the end of the summer?! No more barefeet walking in flipflops, no more dresses wearing without tights below?
To hold back the transition into fall a little bit, I planned a backyard barbecue with some summer decorations, for an unforgettable summer party. Besides the cheese-filled burgers and homemade sesame buns, I made the all-time favorite carrot cake. The highlight for me was the baked cookie bunting, which turned out really cute. I pulled some thread through the holes and fixed it between some wood slats. Just to be sure to give the summer the fond farewell it deserves for maybe the last outdoor BBQ...
Good things come to those who bake
As some of you know, I am currently working on a baking book (very excited) that is scheduled for Nov (lot´s of XMas stuff in it). That is the main reason why I am not posting so frequently. The book will be in German (yes, I know, sorry). The best thing: I am already able to allow my mind to be filled up with lot´s new ideas as my hubby will have to do most of the work in the next two weeks. We are in the final correction stages. I promise, the closer we get to it`s release, the more stuff I will be presenting you guys from it. Today, here´s a cute pic with baked "frames" that I'll be using in the book somewhere.
Weekend coffee, friends and the beach
My hubby and I headed to Holland last weekend, mainly for relaxing and because of the ooohhh so fantastic weather forecast! And it turned out exactly as planned. We even met Julia and her sister in Egmond, I guess that I have last seen her in March on my birthday.
We had too many "koffie verkeerd" (but who is counting?), we were laying at the beach for hours and I finished 3 books in a row - the perfect weekend just ended. When will we doing that again, please, dearest husband??? A ready packed beach bag and me are waiting already now.
We had too many "koffie verkeerd" (but who is counting?), we were laying at the beach for hours and I finished 3 books in a row - the perfect weekend just ended. When will we doing that again, please, dearest husband??? A ready packed beach bag and me are waiting already now.
The Porch is the Living Room
Finally it`s summer. No complaining, just countless days of sunshine. These days, our porch literally becomes the living room. So it needs a proper 'lighting'. I came up with this 'chandelier installation' from a piece of a tree and a vintage bunting. The only thing missing is the cake. But let´s eat healthy for just one day. Enjoy the sun.
Crafty Cat
I wanted to have a cat in one of the photos of my baking book. The only problem being that the real life cat that I am 'working' on is still way too shy for posing. So, I simply made this crafty one out of some very cute fabric that I found in Tokyo. She is now sitting on the porch, relaxing after the photo shoot in the kitchen.
Crochet Breakfast
For a yummy and healthy sunday breakfast, I recommend a decent amount of peanut butter and sunny side up egg on toast. In order to avoid too many calories, everything is done crochet style. But why am I doing this ? I just came back from a vacation in Japan and "crochet food" is on a total different level there. I even bought a book about it. Of course, I can not read anything but the pictures are super cute and crochet patterns are 'international'. So there will be more crochet food coming your way.
More Vintage Lace Curtain
A couple if weeks back, I have worked on a vintage lace curtain for the porch door. I liked it so much that, with a little bit of free time during rainy German pre-summer weekends, I made some more for the kitchen windows. In the back you can spot the vintage bunting from the porch as well.
Planning a Yarn Party
I am always impressed with all the crochet things seeing on Pinterest. I need to work on my crochet skills and was looking for something really easy to start with.
First thing were the granny square coasters with 2 colours. Couldn't be too difficult, can they? As they turned out so nice, I was highly motivated and added some pompoms, during watching TV (you can always use pompoms for everything, right?).
For the Apple potholder, I started as I would do a regular flower...with the magic loop and double crochets. Just added round after round until had appr. 18 cm. The green leaf, the apple core and the stem I added at the end. I think the last time I did some potholders, must have been 30 years ago. I am so proud about my work!
The crochet edge for the postcards given me some headache, but after watching a tutorial, it turned out not too complicated for me after all. And now I can hang them on a wall, if i like!
So I decorated the table for some nice pictures, showing you the results of my crochet weekend. I also added some things that my hubby's sister gave me. She's a pro. Maybe these pictures will inspire you to start crafting a little bit as well. Let's crochet!
First thing were the granny square coasters with 2 colours. Couldn't be too difficult, can they? As they turned out so nice, I was highly motivated and added some pompoms, during watching TV (you can always use pompoms for everything, right?).
For the Apple potholder, I started as I would do a regular flower...with the magic loop and double crochets. Just added round after round until had appr. 18 cm. The green leaf, the apple core and the stem I added at the end. I think the last time I did some potholders, must have been 30 years ago. I am so proud about my work!
The crochet edge for the postcards given me some headache, but after watching a tutorial, it turned out not too complicated for me after all. And now I can hang them on a wall, if i like!
So I decorated the table for some nice pictures, showing you the results of my crochet weekend. I also added some things that my hubby's sister gave me. She's a pro. Maybe these pictures will inspire you to start crafting a little bit as well. Let's crochet!
Cheesecake on a Porch Swing
Finally I got a porch swing, well, a small one, and you can´t even sit on it but it´s cute and that´s what counts. I ordered a kids swing from the internet, painted the seat turquoise and replaced the plastic cord with a beautiful (but not so safe) hemp rope. Since I can not swing with it anyway, I added some roses and a cheesecake. But the cheesecake won´t last long on it, I promise.
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