Sweetpea and Willow now have an Irish branch.
Sweetpea & Willow is an established online furniture boutique with a head office in London. They are a leading French style furniture store in the UK and offer elegant, excellent value, high quality, French-style furniture.
I absolutely love, love, love the silk cushions below! Both are currently on sale for November. Sale Price – 77.96 euro for a pair.
Too stunning for words. This wallpapered kitchen is almost too nice to cook in. And those copper lampshades! The wallpaper is from Fromental who’s ‘mission is to create the world’s most beautiful wallpapers.’ I think they will reach that goal no problem.
This is definitely on my wish list. A do it yourself letterpress machine! Fan – bloody – tastic! Well it looks fantastic and so easy. If I had one of these babies I would never have to buy another card again! The Lifestyle Crafts Letterpress Combo Kit costs – US $149.99. But there is one snag – they only ship to the US and Canada at present. Maybe someone will bring them in for us deprived Europeans.
Spotted via another great find – IDIY blog
OK I didn’t get time to do my own food post this week but I discovered a new Food blog during the week and thought I would share a recipe from their blog. I found Smitten Kitchen when searching for tips on food photography and discovered not only are their food pics amazing but they have fantastic recipes as well. Bonus!
Jalapeño-Cheddar Scones
Adapted Peter Oleyer at Calexico Carne Asada in Brooklyn, via NYMag
It’s worth noting that I had my doubts about this recipe. This world is overflowing with terrible scones and after trying too many bad ones, I came to the conclusion that the only good scones — the only ones you should bother making or eating, ever — are these dreamy cream ones. However, this recipe manages to be different — it contains eggs! — and yet is still delicious but considering the possibility that there are two good scone recipes on earth makes my sleepy head hurt thus I will reconcile this another time. For now, know that these are good, very good.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick or 4 ounces) cold butter, diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, divided
1/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, diced
2 small jalapeños pepper, minced (I wimped out and used only one only to find my scones entirely heat-free)
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small skillet, melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter and sauté the jalapeños in it until soft, about two minutes. Let them cool, then place them in a small bowl with the cheddar cheese and coat them with one tablespoon of the flour. Combine the remaining flour with the baking powder and salt. Cut in the remaining butter with a pastry blender, fork or two knives, until the butter bits are pea sized.
Lightly whip two of the eggs and cream and add to the flour-butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, fold mixture until it begins to come together. Add the cheddar-jalapeño mixture to the dough and mix until everything is incorporated.
Turn out the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently for less than one minute. Pat dough out to a 3/4- to 1-inch thickness and either cut into 8 triangles or the shape of your choice with a biscuit cutter. Make an egg wash by beating the remaining egg with a teaspoon of water. Brush the scones with egg wash and place on a parchment-lined (or well-oiled) baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Scones are always best the first day.
Want to flash-freeze yours, – Brief directions, here.
If you are in the market for some french style furniture then you might be interested in this offer. A bridal shop located in Dublin 2 is clearing out the following furniture and equipment.
• 3 Mirrors for a Changing Room to be fixed to the wall – €80 each
• 5 Female Bust Manequins – €50 each
•1 Child Manequin – €30 each
• Display Shelving Unit with a Mirror backing, 4 shelves – €350
• French Chateau White Table with a Glass Top – €350
• armchairs (can be painted to likening) – €50 each
• 1 Sewing Machine Nfaff – €200
• 5 Free Standing Rails on Castors (ideal for a Stock Room) – €80 each
• Display Hanging Rails for Show Room with glass shelves to hang gowns (fixed to walls) €900
• Raspberry Taffeta Curtains with Velcro Tab Top (easy to put up and light) – all for €100
• Office Desk (with fold out section) – €150 (plus free chair)
• 1 Charles Hoover (Dry and Wet cleaning) – €75
• 10 -15 Gold Picture Frames – €10 each
Most of the (well all of the) properties on Haven In Paris, a luxury holiday rental website, are out of my price range. But that doesn’t stop me from drooling over the apartments all the same. I really love the two bedrooms below. I would sleep soundly in either one. Both rooms are part of a lovely 3 bedroom apartment in the heart of the art and antique district in Paris. Ooh la la
Innocently strolling over to the cinema on Parnell Street over the weekend I passed the Bargain Shop @ Arnotts on Middle Abbey Street. Its been a long time between visits so I thought why not pop in.
Now Christmas decorations are piled high in the first half of the shop but if you push on through to the back you might find one or two unchristmasy items. Like the two lamps below -
There was no price on the lamps so I asked the shop assistant who was unable to locate a price either. He said I could have them for 15 euro each which I responded by thanking him followed by a quick exit before I had the chance to say I’ll take em’! I need another set of lamps like I need my car to fail its NCT tomorrow. So rather than let this bargain go unrewarded I thought I would share. I know – I am pretty nice like that. Believe me if I thought I would get away with sneaking in another two lamps these babies would be living with me right now. (And they don’t even go with any of my current decor.)
Another edition of Foodie Friday. This week we have another exquisite recipe from J. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm -
SIMPLE VEG STIR FRY – a light meal / lunch or side dish for 2 people
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2):
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Sunflower Oil
1 white onion, sliced
2 handfuls of Pak Choi
2 handfuls of beansprouts
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of oyster sauce
1 tablespoon of Soy Sauce
Optional: 12 prawns
Add the 2 oils to a wok or large non-stick pot and heat on quite a high heat for a minute.
Add the onion, garlic and red chilli and cook for a minute stirring so they don’t brown.
Add the pak choi and the beansprouts and cook for a couple of minutes, still on the high heat, until they’re heated through and the beansprouts are softening.
Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce and cook for one minute.
Have a quick taste and see if you need more soy sauce.
If using prawns, add for the last minute of cooking and ensure they are heated through before removing from the heat and serving.
TIPS
For a more substantial main course, add prawns. I always keep a packet of frozen tiger prawns in the freezer, which makes for a very quick and easy (and tasty!) meal.
Oyster sauce – once opened it should keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge, depending on the brand, so check the label.
Soy Sauce - you can use fish sauce if you prefer – both give the food this dish the salty kick it needs, or else Liquid Aminos from a health store if you’re not allowed sugar/ fermented products.
Well I bought some Schumacher fabric a couple of weeks ago and I am still deciding what I want to do with it. Currently I am trying it out on the bedhead. No real effort went in to this other than draping the fabric over the bedhead.
I am still waiting to find the right piece of art to hang over the bed so I guess I am looking for a little makeover fix in the meantime.
Hmmm, still not sure – It kind of feels a little grown up for me.
And here is the bed before my latest massive makeover. It took me hours to drape that fabric just right you know.
Today I am going to pretend I am a successful designer and I will be taking the winter off to recuperate before my next collection. This is where I will be staying if you need to contact me. But only if it’s an emergency or you want to pop in for a cup of tea and homemade scones with lashings of jam and fresh cream.
Or maybe here? Where we can sip the finest red wine, eating italian cuisine and listening to the water lapping on the shore.
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