The Every Day

And I say to my heart: Rave on

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December 8th, 2011
Mistletoe growing on trees by the office! (Taken with instagram)

Mistletoe growing on trees by the office! (Taken with instagram)

December 7th, 2011

Christmas cookies!

A round-up of ones I’m eyeing to make:

Peanut butter-filled chocolate cookies by Wonderland Kitchen

Deep dark chocolate cookies by Divine Baking

Fig and date swirls by Lottie and Doof

Nutmeg maple butter cookies by Smitten Kitchen

oak leaves and tiny acorns

(all photos linked to recipes) 

Love: Rifle Co.

Anything and everything they design I love.

Getting into the holiday mood!  Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Sara Groves

December 5th, 2011
My heater for the cold months

My heater for the cold months

December 1st, 2011

Reading list

The last two books I read were a little disappointing (for different reasons).  The Marriage Plot by Jeffery Eugenides is his latest since Middlesex, the Pulitzer Prize winning novel that is hands-down one of my most favourite books.  I know that makes it a hard act to follow, but The Marriage Plot was in my opinion a not good book by any standards.  It had great aspirations but failed to reach any great heights.  The characters were hard to connect to and seemed to change throughout the novel and the tie-in to literary theory made some parts a slog to get through.  

The next book I moved to was The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O’Farrell which is set in Victorian and present-day Scotland.  It touches upon the horrible practice of sending out of wedlock pregnant or disobedient women which is fascinating and makes for a compelling story.  However, there’s a little side plot that I felt distracted from this storyline and in the end got in the way of making this a really great novel.  

Now I’ve decided to choose my next reads carefully and have a line up that will hopefully see me through the Christmas holidays:

November 30th, 2011

More awesome fonts

November 29th, 2011

WINNER!

Winner_180_180_white.png

Just submitted my first novel for NaNoWriMo with 50,263 words or 75 pages of A4 (size 12 font).  I feel…relieved and happy.  it was definitely a marathon of its own kind.  And now, I’m going to bed!

Miss Representation

November 28th, 2011
And to go with my tips, here’s my recipe for a delicious, home-made apple pie.  Pastry Crust For a double-crust pie 2 cups/250 grams sifted flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 2/3 cup/151 grams butter, frozen 5-7 tablespoons ice cold water + 2 teaspoons vinegar Sift together flour, salt and sugar.  Cut the butter into cubes and toss it with the flour to get it coated. Pour mixtures out onto a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the butter into the flour.   Continue until butter is incorporated as thin sheets (this makes the crust flaky).  Add water/vinegar to the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time until it forms a dough (shouldn’t be sticky).  Divide into two balls and refridgerate for one hour.   Make apple mixture while waiting. Apple pie 6-8 tart apples, pared, cored and thinly sliced (6 cups) 3/4-1 cup/150-200 grams sugar 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons/28 grams butter Combine sugar, flour and spices; mix with apples. Let rest so any excess juice comes out of apple slices.  Spoon just the apples into the pie. Remove from fridge and roll out into circles the top and bottom; cut steam holes into the top crust.  Line the bottom pastry in a pre-buttered pie pan making sure there are no holes.  Sprinkle graham cracker or cookie crumbs on the bottom of the dough.  Pour apple mixture (or other fruit mix) in before laying on the top crust. Crimp the sides together making sure to create a good seal so the juices don’t burst out.  Put pie in fridge to rest for one hour. Heat oven to 450F/232C/Gas Mark 8.  When ready put pie in the oven and immediately turn it down to 400F/204C/Gas Mark 6.  Start the pie out on the bottom of the oven and half way through move it to a middle rack, rotating it halfway.  If the top is browning too quickly cover it with foil remembering to cut holes in the foil to let out steam. Remove after 50 minutes, let it cool completely and then enjoy!

And to go with my tips, here’s my recipe for a delicious, home-made apple pie. 

Pastry Crust

For a double-crust pie

  • 2 cups/250 grams sifted flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2/3 cup/151 grams butter, frozen
  • 5-7 tablespoons ice cold water + 2 teaspoons vinegar

Sift together flour, salt and sugar.  Cut the butter into cubes and toss it with the flour to get it coated. Pour mixtures out onto a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the butter into the flour.   Continue until butter is incorporated as thin sheets (this makes the crust flaky).  Add water/vinegar to the flour mixture one tablespoon at a time until it forms a dough (shouldn’t be sticky).  Divide into two balls and refridgerate for one hour.  

Make apple mixture while waiting.

Apple pie

  • 6-8 tart apples, pared, cored and thinly sliced (6 cups)
  • 3/4-1 cup/150-200 grams sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons/28 grams butter

Combine sugar, flour and spices; mix with apples. Let rest so any excess juice comes out of apple slices.  Spoon just the apples into the pie.

Remove from fridge and roll out into circles the top and bottom; cut steam holes into the top crust.  Line the bottom pastry in a pre-buttered pie pan making sure there are no holes.  Sprinkle graham cracker or cookie crumbs on the bottom of the dough.  Pour apple mixture (or other fruit mix) in before laying on the top crust. Crimp the sides together making sure to create a good seal so the juices don’t burst out.  Put pie in fridge to rest for one hour.

Heat oven to 450F/232C/Gas Mark 8.  When ready put pie in the oven and immediately turn it down to 400F/204C/Gas Mark 6.  Start the pie out on the bottom of the oven and half way through move it to a middle rack, rotating it halfway.  If the top is browning too quickly cover it with foil remembering to cut holes in the foil to let out steam. Remove after 50 minutes, let it cool completely and then enjoy!