Wednesday 7 March 2012

Brightening a Wet Wednesday



It is cold and wet and grey here today, but my morning was brightened by a parcel.



At the weekend I won a beautiful pair of vintage copper and enamel bowls on eBay


the colours are just glorious, although trying to get good photos on this grey day has proved a challenge


the labels on the back say Handmade by Kareka - Nantucket, Hyannis and Key West


This one is quite large, 11 inches across












Just loving their jewel brightness!



Bessie is taking it easy today, no great desire to be out in the rain, whilst I
finished a cushion I started yesterday


made in lilac and white Toile de Jouy ( Laura Ashley ) and a cheerful red gingham, trimmed with red binding

It is just right for the chair in my kitchen

Having failed to find reasonably priced round cushion pads I made my own very simply using an old sheet, a round tray, and a bag of stuffing. 

Simples!!!


like I did when I made my first round crochet cushion cover


I think Logan likes it


Whilst I was finishing the cushion this morning, a wonderful fresh lemony aroma was wafting around the house.

A visit to From Beyond my Kitchen Window this morning resulted in trying out a simple recipe for making your home smell like a Williams Sonoma store, and having heard of the store but never visited one I was intrigued to try it out!

The recipe is simple, using fresh lemon slices, rosemary sprigs, vanilla extract and water.



Preparing the fresh simple ingredients was therapeutic in itself, cosy in the warm kitchen after a dash to the garden to pick wet sprigs of rosemary as the rain came down, slicing into a fresh juicy lemon, then putting it all in a pan with water and vanilla, then on the stove to simmer and fill the house with its wonderful, zesty aroma.

Pop over here  to read it for yourself!





Enjoy your Wednesday wherever you are!







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21 comments:

  1. LOVE your new banner! Nice job! And I am so happy you are joining my walking group. This is so fun and I am surprised how good this whole thing makes me feel. I am all smiles today. Have a WONDERFUL day.

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  2. I love your new bowls, the colours are stunning.
    Gillx

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  3. Hello Gill:
    What absolutely amazing dishes which positively 'explode' with colour and give the effect of looking through a kaleidoscope. Pure magic. And if this is as they appear on a grey day, just imagine them glinting in full sunlight.

    Meanwhile, Bessie looks on with that slight disdain with which we associate all cats. Certainly ours were always aloof from the everyday life!!

    We hope that you are enjoying your Wednesday as we are from a sunny but cold Budapest.

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  4. What beautiful dishes...the colours are amazing!
    I just can't believe how adorable your sweet pup is...so darling. Love round pillows too. Happy day to you. xoxox

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  5. Your latest cushion is gorgeous, I love the gingham trim.
    Best wishes.

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  6. I love Logan what a cutie George love to lay on top of my down filled pillows like a king....I agree with you those bowl are just amazing!!!

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  7. Your new dishes are very pretty Gill. :)
    I think you are getting the weather we had yesterday, it was terrible. I think you little animals are very wise to sit in!!
    Vivienne x

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  8. Wow, your bowls are stunning. As you say, just like jewels.

    Pretty cushion too - John Lewis sell round pads - mind you, yours looks great.

    Enjoy the rest of the day.

    Hx

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  9. A lovely post Gill. You have certainly cheered up my dull, wet Wednesday. I must give that stove top fragrance a go. The bowls are beautifully made with such vibrant colours. Truly lovely works of art. Your animals are lucky to be inside in the warm. Gizmo has gone on a walkabout in the rain!!! x

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  10. aaahhh Logan is adorable he looks like a teddybear in that last shot of him ;-) Gorgeous bowels and stunning colours inside. Your cushion is so pretty love the gingham trim. Enjoy the rest of your week, dee x

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  11. Spent today trawling through the archives at the Country Life Magazine office. Very interesting but a bit lacking in colour, so your gorgeous plates have really brightened up my evening!

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  12. I adore your gingham cushion,lovely and bright for the kitchen.
    The plates are a wonderful ebay find,I seem to be outbid on everything I go for at the moment!
    Do you know where i could find a pattern for the round crochet cushion? I'd love to have a go at one of those. :0)

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  13. Just love those two copper bowls - gorgeous colours.
    Love the sound of the lemon fragrance, will have to follow that link. Sounds like you have enjoyed your Wednesday despite the rain!
    Becky x

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  14. Hi Gill,

    I like your dishes very much. All those colours!!! They are almost too beautiful to use.

    Your new pillow looks beautiful. It matches perfectly with the one you crocheted.

    Have a lovely evening,

    Madelief x

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  15. Beautiful ebay finds! I love your cushions - they are so pretty! Your comment on my post was much appreciated - I feel so tired and wretched all the time. It's all a bit depressing - I had hoped that I would be much better by now! Love the photo of Logan! George has been to the dog groomrs and looks a bit as if he's been nibbled by mice whilst Charlie looks like an old hippy!
    June

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  16. Love those bowls!!!
    The colours are incredible!!
    I think I may have some of the same toile you used for the cushions!
    I will definitely be venturing out to my garden for some rosemary to try the awesome smelling idea- thanks for that!

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  17. Hi Gill, doesn't Susan come up with the best home tips!

    I love the gingham pillow that Logan is modeling! You're very talented!

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  18. First off, thanks so much for the shout out. I have made the lemon, rosemary and vanilla concoction three times already. Next, the bowls are bright, bold and lovely. Nantucket and Hyannis are in my neck of the woods.(Massachusetts) Nantucket is an old whaling island of the coast of Cape Cod Massachusetts. Hyannis is also on the Cape and has many shops with wonderful artisans. The pillows are stunning and it looks like they will give many hours of comfort to Logan and Bessie.

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  19. I must try that room scent recipe - sounds lovely. And those bowls are really beautiful. I bet you were holding your breath as the bidding closed!
    Thank you so much for your kind comments on my knitting. This time last year I only crocheted, and when Alice from Crochet with Raymond started knitting, I was disappointed. But I kept on reading her blog, and before I knew it, I was having a go and loving to learn new things again!
    Jane x
    PS You know I envy you your sewing skills - you make some lovely things I wouldn't know where to start!

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  20. The dishes are wonderful, so bright to cheer up a dreary day, great find, and I just love your new cushion. I'm a sucker for gingham. Logan's looking very handsome perched up on the chair.

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  21. Oh goodness, what fabulous bowls! I've got to find me some of those - those colours are just stunningly gorgeous!

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Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to leave a comment - I love to read them!
Gill x