PORTOFINO

 Have you ever been to Portofino? That charming little port on the Italian riviera. If yes, then you will know what I'm talking about when I say it's a magical and romantic place. Like all  of those magnificent sites in Italy, is unfortunately over commercialised.

 But the water is clear and although forbidden to jump into that water one has an insatiable desire to, um, accidently fall in! Especially when that sun is hitting you on the head!

                            Sketch book / for sale now in my new shop Fabricotti.etsy.com

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.

Tea toteler

 Why is it nearly every time I take a photo of Eve she's drinking tea? I'm not going to deny that in our house we are great consumers of tea! but not any kind of tea, it has to be English and not the kind they export.
We need the real stuff and we go to great lengths in getting it even if it does mean crossing the Chanel now and then........or getting my sister in Ireland to bring it over when she comes or picking up a few boxes when we go over! Ah tea, it's refreshing and comforting. Try it when you're feeling down and out. It's an instant pick me up!

What's your favourite warm drink?  

Tarte aux Pommes

This weekend I'm making TARTE AUX POMMES. The French way. Only I'm not French but I like to pretend!! This is probably the quickest and yummiest apple tart you'll ever have! You could make one right now because there really isn't much to it!
You'll need a roll of pastry ready to go pure butter ofcourse or make your own. The butter makes a big difference. A few apples,old ones that nobody wants to crunch on or have actually lost their crunch, you know the ones that are on the bottom of the fruit basket,they will do just fine. A little butter,sugar to sprinkle, and ground cinnamon(optional)

 Grab yourself a pizza tray (you decide on the size you want) we could call this an apple pizza! Roll out the pastry. Now peel and finely slice your apples and place neatly on your pastry, working all around and coming in as to make a sort of snail shell pattern.When you're happy with how it looks sprinke sugar all over and drop little pieces of butter evenly over the apples. And for a bit of pizaz lightly dust with the cinnamon. Bake it in a warm oven for @15 min or until golden brown.

 Serve warm or cold but it's better warm :) They'll love you for making it!

 BON APETIT!

The dilema

 Here's my dilema! I recently moved our funiture as I often do! I moved the lounge into the music/ entrance and the lounge. I did this because our fire place is there and it is much nicer to sit in a warm lounge! See I did have a logical reason for doing this.......

 Only I am left with this! It's a dilama because I am not really happy with the final look. That is in the "music' room. The lounge is nice and open (I'll show photos of that another time) but this room just doesn't seem right to me! Is it the wallpaper, or the floors (I hate those floors).

I find it cold and unalluring. I'm seriously thing of changing the floor or at least putting down a large rug. It would make it feel warmer at least. Or a little French bench to sit on while looking at the books on the tabletheque. Anybody got any ideas? I would love to hear them.

Checkbook Covers

 Do you ever look at your checkbook with it's tattered ends and ugly covers with disgust?

 I think that everything in life ,even the most mudane can look better with a little flower power!

 That's why I started making these covers and now I sell them!

 I just finished this series in a pure linen and liberty coton  with complimenting velvet ribbon.

 There are two models for the two most common sort of checkbooks. One that opens up longways and one that opens up on the large side.

 Please feel free to contact me for measurements or give me yours and I'll be happy to custom make you one with no extra charge!

 You'll find them in my new shop just click here  Fabricotti.etsy

HOUSE VISIT N° 1 THE KITCHEN

 Those of you who have been following me on my other blog  "Not perfect but nice" will know that I have a childhood passion for Interior decorating.

 I never visited a friends room without putting it in order and making it look the best that it could.Well nothing much has changed since then. When there's a possibilty of changing things round or painting the walls a different colour ............I'm there on the frontline! So that's why I thought it would be  a fun way to record the many changes in my house. The all so many changes!!!!!!!!

 Today I'm showing you around our kitchen, from all four angles. When we moved in the black and white checkered floors were already there. I think they give a very retro look to the room.  

 The kitchen cabinets were also already installed ,they had a faux grey marble formica finish. We quickly repainted the doors "egg shell" and replaced the hard-ware with modern Ikea ones. Which work great but I think I would be more courageous next time round. The doors under the sink were taken out and replaced by a curtain in a grey Toile de Jouy. So French, right? Just to add a bit of "soft" to the otherwise hard decor. Another curtains was installed to the right side of the cooker.

 The splasback was replaced also with a pattern which kind of reflects the flooring in a minature way. In came the chandelier, originaly in a bedroom. I wanted the room to have a kind of "glamorous' look it helps with having a better feeling about cooking!

 The marble top table is from my grandmothers house which my husband elevated to double as extre work space but we eat off it as well. It's nice to be able to integrat family heirlloms into modern day living.

 One thing we love doing is eating pancakes! My daughters make them quite often, and with yummy blueberry jam you just can't resist!

                                                                   Irresistible!

I hope you enjoyed the little visit. A bientôt!