Cheats tart.

Oh my goodness I'm in the Kitchen again!  This time its simple sweet treats in the form of cheats custard and raspberry tarts. I blame Heart Home Magazine for today's littler creation though, as I spotted some lovely summer berry tarts in the first edition of the on-line magazine and decided to have a go at something similar.

These ones, like I have already mentioned are a bit of a cheat as I bought most to the ingredients practically ready to assemble, so not much effort at all, I used instant custard, added some extra vanilla essence, spooned into ready made tart cases, and just plonked the fresh raspberries on top then glazed with a little warm jam, dead easy.  Cool them in the fridge a little after just to help set the custard.

Photography Samantha Stansbridge

To be honest, you can't fail to impress with these, the colours just look so great together, but next time I'll give the proper  vanilla pastry cream a go, check out Heart Home Magazine for instructions, issue one.

Heart home Magazine is live!

Heart Home Magazine goes live today and having just been looking through it, its going to become a favourite  I think.  Filled with loads to  feast  your eyes and your belly on, with a lovely late summer feeling, (just perfect for today's weather sitting out in the garden catching some rays)  I love the article on 10 steps to create the perfect look for some late summer entertaining by blogger Nina Holst of Stylizimo blog, and as you skip through the pages there are more than a few blogger's  and stylists that you will recognise. I spotted Selina lake, Holly Becker, one of the Bodie and Fou sisters, and Nina Holst, for starters,  its a great first edition, cant wait for the next one, go check it out.

Lovely styling tips and scrumptious baking

Images Heart Home Magazine

Love the look of those fruity little tarts,  could I count them as one of my five a day because of the fruit? 

Kinfolk Magazine

Fabulous photography  from Kinfolk Magazine.

Have you noticed the ever increasing trend for on-line magazines? They are popping up left  right and centre, and the latest to hit the zineasphere is Kinfolk, created by a group of people who like to do nothing more then gather together with family and friends  around a table set for a simple meal and enjoy the simple pleasures in life like great food, the out doors, or creating a simple feast of bread and cheese around an art party in the out doors. Sounds lovely, do you like to table-scape and gather?

Check out the photographers and team here
Brittany Wood
Youngna Park
Jennifer Causey
Jennifer Causey
Youngna Park.

Summer 2011 IKEA FAMILY LIVE.

 IKEA FAMILY LIVE

The IKEA FAMILY LIVE magazine is out now!  and you may recall a mention about the lovely work of Veronkia in this post, well her lovely home features in the Summer edition of the magazine too!! To take a peek go here.  If anyone could get me one and pop it in the post...well..you would just make my day, because  they are hard to come by here in the Channel Islands. :)

All images IKEA FAMILY LIVE.

Ideas to steal from Elle Decoration magazine.

I don't know about you, but when it comes to interior décor, well I have many sides to my personal taste, I love a bit of rustic, but not too rustic, perhaps a pallet board here and there, then again I'm rather liking interiors with white walls at the moment, and some times I unleash the  truly feminine  side in me and go all floral, which is why I'm rather liking the June  edition of Elle Decoration at the moment, its got a little of every thing this month, from monochrome to floral, and a bit of rustic thrown in for good measure! 

I'm currently in the middle of a make over in our living room as I type, (stopping every so often to scan the room and work on ideas in my head, magazine in hand) so I have been checking out ideas to steal from the home of fashion Stylist Sofia Ericson and her photographer husband Nils Odier, featured in Elle Decoration this month, an all black and white interior with a hint of green.

White is a great base for a room as it pretty much goes with every other colour, and can act like a blank canvas to work with, but it can feel cold especially in a room that does not get alot of sunlight.  so adding warmth with  textures and vintage wooden furniture can help soften the look, as in this lovely home pictured.

  .

Photo credits Pia Ulin, Styling Lotta Agaton. Magazine article written by Hannah Booth.

Ideas to steal:  To soften and add warmth to a black and white room, add wooden furniture, check out charity and junk shops to find vintage and one off pieces, add texture with rugs, cushions and throws, and incorporate another colour by layering throughout the space. 

Also in this issue is the fresh  floral home of textile designer Fi Douglas, of Bluebellgray.  Blue being one of her favourite colours and in abundance throughtout her home, even the shades of blue are painted  on the stairs which I love and had I the kind of stairs that I could paint I think that might be an idea to steal. Check out Brume for words and number stickers to add to stairs.

Photo credits David Cadzow Magazine article written by Emma Love

These are just a couple of highlights and ideas  from the June issue of Elle Decoration, but the magazine is packed with so much more and well worth finding its way to your coffee table! Available now in all good supermarkets..

         

All images Elle Decoration.

P.S Elle Decoration UK now have a Facebook page here and a Blog is in the pipe lines to stay up to date go here

Magazine of the month

Did you have a good long weekend? I hope so, I can't believe that its actually Tuesday evening already! I'm just putting my feet up with a mug of tea and the Ideal Home magazine before deciding about what to have for dinner tonight.

Junes 2010 edition of Ideal Home will get you in the mood for some summer decorating, (even though I have pulled on thick tights and winter boots....its gotten chilly again!) and there is a lovely two page spread of Orla Kiely (below) on page 14 and 15, i love those retro stem leafy designs in bold colours don't you?

Want to be your own interior designer? then you will find some great tips from pages 77-84, see how to get the sea side look (above) inspired by rock pools and sand, its so pretty.

And on page 104-105 there is one of the best garage conversions I have seen in a while, see how Terry Smith and Jude Viscardi bought and turned a dilapidated garage into a stunning two bed home, with more ideas for an unloved garage on pages 106-107, but if you want to see those you'll have to go and buy the magazine!

Also with this issue Free bunting for you to cut out and use (I'm thinking of what to do with mine) and a 7 page promotion special from Home Sense who i think are slowly taking over the world with there budget breaking homes wares.

All images Ideal Home Magazine

Ideas Home magazine

I am feeling rather lazy this week, and the thought of flicking through a pile of home magazines and trying to decide which one should end up as my choice for (September) Magazine of the Month seemed all to much like hard work (I think I'm still in holiday mode) so a quick twitter for help, and Will over at Bright Bazaar suggested Ideal home, and I have to say its a great choice. Absolutely jam packed from cover to cover, which includes inspiration from Kelly Hoppen and info on her design school, great reader homes to pour over, (I love the Kitchen on page 38/39) creating a feature wall, (love the black board Wall on page 78), take a tour around the home of Catherine and Mark Colebook, (see her website here) gosh there is so much in this magazine, just go get yourself one!

Elle Decoration.

Did I blink and miss part of the month, the first half of July has been a bit of a blur! and we haven't chatted for what seems like ages, so before any more month slips by, I better do some blogging. First of all thanks for the comments about what I have planned for the Autumn, (more about that in another post later) I love the book idea... me write a book!.... it would have to be filled with pictures as I'm a very visual person, I guess that's why I like interiors so much. Which brings me nicely on to the Magazine of the Month, and I find myself flicking through the pages of August's Elle Decoration for my design and interiors fix for the month. The lovely Jamie Oliver catches my eye, there's a quick 10 minute chat with him (hes a very busy boy theses days) about all the stuff he has going on at the moment, such as his new 'Jersey' collection inspired by the English country kitchen, and said to be as sweet and as hard working as its name sake, the Jersey cow! (Jersey...yay that's my Island..well not mine personally, but where I live!)

For your interiors, there are also fabulous wallpaper's to be found, some of which are more like works of arts for your walls, like the beautiful 'birdcage' silk wall mural from http://www.surfaceview.co.uk/ check it out on page 48 of Elle Decoration, simply beautiful.

And if your holidaying at home this year then get some ideas for a stylish garden, hints on how to crate a room outdoors, and lift the mood with perfumed plants for the garden, as well as taking a trip around the homes of famous people.

Got a favourite magazine you like to read? why not share it with us, just pop a comment below.

your Home magazine

Well one week off lead into two, but now I'm back, batteries renewed, and I'm rearing to go, so first up, a bit late in the month I know but its my Magazine of the month, and my choice for the month of July is a budget breaking steal of a deal at only £1.99, and it is Your Home magazine (http://www.yhmag.co.uk/) I have to admit that Your home is not on my top list of Homes magazines but the price caught my eye, and once I flicked through the pages realised its got plenty to offer, so if you haven't picked up a mag this month, Your Home is well worth the £1.99. The pull out section in the middle is a real bonus, Done in a day projects, step by step furniture face lift, learn new skills, Home maintenance and make do and mend. And if that little lot is not enough for you, how about 43 reader homes and makeovers to pour over, tasty summer recipes, 533 style on a shoestring, and the chance to win prizes!

Magazine of the Month.

I have to confess that monthly homes magazines are a bit of a weakness for me, and so many to choose from. Amongst my favourite's are BBC Good homes (hopefully will be staying on our shelves for many more years to come) Ideal Home, Country Living, Inside out when I can get my hands on it (an Aussie magazine) and of course Living etc, just to name a few.

Every month from now on I will choosing one magazine and blogging about it, in a new section of my blog called Magazine of the Month.

To kick stat this new section I am diving into Living etc, the June edition, and this month it is almost like it was written just for me! A whole 50 ideas for you walls ranging from giant statement circles to 3-D Tromp L'oeil wallpaper, (you may remember I did a section on wall coverings not long back) Pop-art mosaics for ya bathroom, which I think has a bit of an art deco feel about it. If you are thinking of up dating your walls, than this issue is for you.

In the modern lifestyle section I'm loving the look of photographer Pail Massy's home, and his

use of every day items such as a bin and a wooden crate box as side tables which work so well in his home.

If like me you have been sucked into the whole make do and mend thinking, then get your Tapestry needles at the ready as cross stitch is the next big Craft revival, new kits brought to you by Emily Peacock will have you creating your very own heirlooms to pass on to future generations.

Looking for a new cooker? then check out the selection of range cookers, with something for all, from retro to the classic timeless Aga, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Well that's my round up of Living etc, oh except to mention that the subscription offer this month is great if you are needing some new skin care products, I'm very tempted to subscribe.

If you have some favourite magazines that you think are worth a mention, feel free to post a comment at the bottom.