New Yarn Joy

I don't really have much to offer in terms of stunning insights (not that you're really reading my blog for those) or knitting tips, or tricks or anything of the sort - I just thought I would share you with some pretty pictures of some new yarn: Rico Design Superba Poems in Tropical. I picked this up in Wool in Bath when I was there - it's now a lovely pair of long and cosy socks, but I really loved these pictures I took when it was all wound up.

The weird thing is, I'm really a truth goth at heart, never growing out of my pre-teen emo days, the majority of my clothes are monochrome, with odd splashes of navy, brown or oxblood creeping in - however when it comes to socks, I go mad, and just want anything fluorescent, multicoloured, pastel and bright.

Anyway, I'll show you the socks I made soon enough, but I've really been lusting after all kinds of new yarns since I put myself on a self imposed yarn ban, which I might save a discussion around for another post, however it just means I've been pinning all kinds of lovely yarn... Look at that beautiful brown and blue-grey one below: be still my heart.

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something wicked this way comes: on halloween and witches

As it is Halloween on Friday I thought I'd talk about my fascination with witches... I've been intrigued by witches and witchcraft for as long as I can remember, avidly consuming books about witches, television shows (from the good to the awful) and films. I had little journals where I would write down spells, and collected crystals, incense and candles that I thought were particularly special, me and my friend would get together and talk about whether we thought they worked or not. I dressed up as witches at least three years in a row for book-day at school (Mildred from the Worst Witch, Hermione from Harry Potter and the White Witch from the Chronicles of Narnia): essentially, I devoured as much as I could about witches, my mother would have to supply me endlessly with books because I would read them so fast. Maybe it was growing up with a Catholic influence, but it always felt a little bit illicit to be reading about witches and magic.

I've hidden this obsession well as I've grown up, but every time Halloween rolls around, I find myself returning to those stories, shows and cinema and thinking how fucking cool it would be if it were all real. For 10 months of the year I am generally grounded in reality, but in September, when the air begin to cool, I let my solid footing slip.

Maybe it's the change in the seasons, I have always had romantic notions about nature, and the hidden Pagan inside of me wants to make wicker effigies at harvest. I begin to pay close attention to the cycles of the moon, and wish it was acceptable to wander barefoot over the local common, lighting bonfires and wearing a black cape. I fear it wouldn't go down too well, where I live.

For now, I'll collect crystals, and stones with perfect circles inside, dried herbs and sticks and feathers, pretending that I have my own little tree-stump altar and a circle made from branches..

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(Images taken from Pinterest, photo credits where possible are provided on Pinterest.)

hello autumn + seasonal recipe round-up!

• Cinnamon buns: Anything with cinnamon in, I associate with the colder months, these look like they'd be amazing with some icing...
• Apple caramels: I don't really ever attempt making sweets, but I'd give it a go for these caramels.
• Honeycomb: Somehow I've made it to twenty-four and never made honeycomb in my life - this year I will rectify that! I really want to make it and dip it in chocolate, though.
• Pumpkin + Onion tart: I'm not really one for making savoury food, I usually leave that to my mother, but this in the Waitrose magazine caught my eye and there is a squash I've got my eye on in the kitchen that I think would taste pretty great done like this. I also found one with Goat's cheese, which, yes please.
• Butternut Squash + Sage pizza: Sage always feel a little wintry, and squashes are in season, so this is definitely on the list.
• Sweet potato + Coconut soup: I don't know the exact recipe, because my mum doesn't write these things down, but she always makes a stunning Sweet potato and coconut soup. She'll make a giant vat of the stuff and I'll live off it for days, until I'm sick of it, but I'll still be begging her to make it in a weeks time.

• Red wine poached pears: These are something I always associate with 'grown-up' dinners as a kid, I'm not sure why. Since they did those pear-things on the Bake-off, I've been craving poached pears.
• Damson gin: I found a bunch of damsons right before we left the allotment, they're in the freezer waiting for something to be done with them - I'm considering gin as an option. 
• Blackberry crumb bars: I'm still not really over my all-day-blackberry phase, but I'm getting there.
• Cinnamon latte: Basically, cinnamon. All day, every day.  
• Chai Spiced Apple Cake: Apple in cakes can sometimes make them a little soggy, but I'm willing to attempt it for these.
• Upside Down Plum Cake: Likewise, for the upside down plum cake.

• Bonfire toffee: This looks like it could chip a tooth, but I want to try it so much.
• Sticky Yorkshire Parkin: Parkin is the closest thing I can find to my Grandma's sticky ginger cake, we make huge batches of it every year, it's amazing fresh from the oven with cream or custard, but great cold with a cup of coffee, too.
• Toffee apples: Waitrose had a great recipe for some, where you mix some nuts and berries into the toffee, I think they look amazing.. 

Now I know that these aren't necessarily using 'seasonal' vegetables, but these are the kind of things I just want to make heaps off when the weather turns colder... Don't you? What are some of your favourites? Share in the comments below!

(Image credits in the links provided.)

hello autumn + seasonal bucket list

- Tiring myself out with long autumn walks.

- Preferably in the mist or the rain..

- Or even when it's that wonderful crisp weather but it's still sunny.

- Coming home to my mother cooking a roast and the house smelling amazing...

- There are few things better than watching the rain when you're all cozied up inside

- Big jumpers, long socks, hot tea.

- Reading a good book in bed on a cold morning

- Further pursuing the best cup of coffee, this time with a seasonal twist

- I've promised myself I'll knit a big cable sweater this autumn, I've downloaded the pattern...

- I used to collect conkers every year when I was a kid, it's something I want to do this year.

- Firework night is my favourite, even as an adult.

- Although we don't have the allotment this year, I'll still badger my dad for a bonfire..

Yesterday was the autumnal equinox, yup, that means its official autumn. I no longer have to feel a twinge of guilt for pinning pictures of beautiful autumnal foliage or posting photos of sweaters and boots with accompanying emoji's on my Instagram. Make no mistake, I'm still going to do these things, but now I don't have to feel ashamed.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a round-up of seasonal recipes I want to make now we're officially into my favourite season. Today, though, we're talking an autumn bucket-list. To see all these pictures on a regular basis, don't forget to follow me on Pinterest!

What are some of the things you want to do this year?

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(Photos credits where possible are found on my Pinterest board.)

just pinterest things

glastonbury tor | flat peaches | blackberry jam | blueberry orange ice lolly recipe
flower crowns | ideas for quilts | illustrations of beluga whales | birds eggs

blue tiled bathrooms | portuguese houses | colour-work mittens | the perfect fair isle sweater

(links are to my boards where the image sources can be found!)

I've had a couple of sick days this week, today and yesterday I have felt like death warmed up - I was caught in the rain in London on Tuesday, and I think it gave me a cold. Today I woke up late after not sleeping well, rushed into work, found out they really didn't need me, and had to deal with a complete asshole at 9AM... I was home by 9.10AM, and I think I needed that. 

The rest of the day was spent napping and sneezing intermittently on the sofa, wrapped in my lovely quilt, which me and my mother have taken to calling my blankie cause I've had it wrapped around me all day...

Anyway, I apologise if you follow me on Pinterest - I have literally spent most of the day hunting down things I want to eat, things I want to make, things I want to do this summer, and summery pictures - my apologies if I spammed you with jam, I have a serious thing for jam and the smell of sugar and fruit cooking in the kitchen. 

Don't forget to link me to your Pinterest accounts, please! I go through phases with it but I am fully obsessed with hunting down the perfect summer recipes at the moment.