soft moss

I saw these cute little moss jars on etsy and it made me remember the small moss garden that we have back in the States that spends most of its time outside, but comes in every year for Easter decorations.

When I come back I think I am going to try this out, it seems like an easy way to get greenery into a small space, and moss doesn't require too much hard work.

A patch of moss in the Lake District

the modern house part 2

So I ended up going out with some friends after work, so I didn't get around to posting my Top 2 yesterday!

They are real beauties, I can only hope that one day I can find a similar place or use them as inspiration to modify a house.

#1: The Carriage House, Nr. Lamberhurst, Kent, £875,000, freehold

It is set in a landscaped parkland of a country estate, and is actually a converted service building.  Now it is 3000 sq. ft., 4/5 bedrooms, with lots of glass windows (notice a pattern with me?  If I can't have tall ceilings with high windows, I want lots of windows), and 2 kitchens.

#2: Portobello Road, W10, £2,250,000, freehold

This house combines a 3 bedroom residence with a gallery below (see bottom row picture on far right) that can be let out or used privately.  It has a double-height kitchen/breakfast room (me with those high ceilings again), as well as multiple roof terraces.  I really like the idea of the gallery space below, and again, look how light and airy it seems.

Let me know what you think or if you found one you like even more :)

the modern house

I found this website via Design*Sponge the other day. It's slightly embarrassing to say, but I love to look at online real estate advertisements, but only if I'm not searching for myself, then I hate it, if I liked rental hunting that would just be sick.

But this site truly has some of the coolest houses I have seen in and a bit outside of London. The Modern House is an estate agency specialising in the sale of  20th and 21st century homes of architectural distinction, and that they do.

What I love about some of their homes is that some seem plain from the outside, but turn out to be amazing inside (like a cooky present); others have an amazing facade, but leave you feeling a bit lackluster inside.

I have picked out some of the ones I think are the best. I'll divide this into 2 posts. One now with 4 homes ranging in price that are neat, but not my favourites, and then one post later with my top two from their website (go to the site and see if you can guess which ones they are!).

#1: The Penthouse, London W8, £6,750,000, share of freehold

what a view, yes, that's the Royal Albert Hall in the middle

#2: The Avenue, Nr Richmond, £1,795,000, freehold

#3: Focus House, London N4, £899,950, freehold

#4: St. Briavels, Wye Valley, Glos., £750,000, freehold

Top 2 after work...

christmas cookies

I know it's not Christmas. We still have 5 months. But don't think I'm crazy yet.  I have a reason for bringing up Christmas in August.

Every Christmas we have a family cookie tradition, where we make the same recipes every year, or at least a rotation of recipes that appear every few years or so.  Some regulars are pecan butter balls, cranberry pistachio freezer cookies, fried Swedish cookies, chocolate chip, and many more.

One of my favourites are Spritz Cookies, but one problem is that you really need the proper cookie 'gun' to make them.

So to make a long story shorter, I saw this while browsing on etsy, and for $5.75 I had to get it to add to my kitchen collection.





Recipe for Spritz Cookies:
3/4 cup butter (or shortening) 1/2 tsp. orange extract
1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 egg yolk 2 to 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg yolk, then beat in extract and grated rind. Sift salt into flour and add. Put through Cookie Maker onto cookie sheet or pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Eat.

one for mom

When looking at some of the super dooper expensive clothes at net-a-porter.com, I came across this fall inspiration layout.  My Mom would love these colours, especially I bet the outfit on the left.

She has been a purple lover for as long as I can remember and from before I was born.  Growing up I often heard stories about the purple decorations, curtains, pillows, etc that she made for her apartments in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and elsewhere.

And she has definitely passed on a bit of that love for purple to me :)