Garden Party

Last week my bessie mate was off work. (she's a window dresser) so we decided to do a little collaboration of her styling a wee Photo shoot and me shooting it. (shape of things to come maybe?!) Anyway she has the most amazing vintage stuff, and is oh so crafty, you can check out her wares and projects HERE.There are quite a few photos here, so get comfy!

Check out the new wee vintage shoes. Also from Etsy. I've had them for about 6 months and they finally fit!

Linda MADE this dress. From a pair of curtains.She's a genius.

this little piggy went to market

A very rare occurance in the Mervyn household when me and Big D are both off together on a weekend day, so we went last Sunday to St. Georges' market for a pre-lunch lunch. Daniel had a burrito, i had a drop of tay just and Martha had a stick of chocolatey marshmallows. I also bought THE most expensive tomatoes and basil in Ireland, and made a delicious tea of them all chopped with olive oil, salt and pepper and ripped up basil on top of some home made bread toasted.

So much to see at the market, Martha loves it, usually because she gets a bun or treat of some description.

Martha Rocks

                                        

                                                                               Enough said.

Friday Flashback

Ive had a poorly wee woman this week, so no new photos, this flashback is from the beach. I think Martha is about 18 months in this. (I'm going by her shoes!) Her wee coat has been the best buy ever from TK Maxx, she is still wearing it nearly a year later. The shoes are one of her many pairs of converse!

I think this is when i decided she needed a hair cut

mushroom soup

Soup weather is most definitely here! Me and Martha made wild mushroom soup. It was good! I have a soup maker which makes the process a lot quicker and less messy!

 

 You need : 1 Punnet of mushrooms (380g)
                    half a bag of dried wild mushrooms (soaked)
                    1 onion
                    1 garlic clove
                    1 pint of stock ( i use a veg stock pot)
I just sweat the onions garlic and mushrooms till they are soft in a wee bit of oil, then add the stock and the soaked mushrooms WITH the soaking liquor, and let it simmer for about 20 mins. Then blitz! pretty easy and super tasty.

Where's Martha?

I know its getting close to Halloween but this is not actually a Where's Wally costume.....just a happy accident. The hat was knitted by a lady on e bay who gives the money (£3) to greyhound rescue. Her Jumper is from Asda for the whopping price of £4.50. Love a bargain. We had such a laugh doing these photos yesterday, and then the three of us (Big Roo was there too of course) got locked in the carpark and had to call the police to let us out! Freezing and starving. But hey, at least the photos are class!

Friday Flashback

These photos were taken when Martha was about 5 months (or so) I remember being thrilled when she would finally lie on her tummy and hold her head up, because it gave me a new position to photograph her in!
Look at her wee rosy cheeks, they came from being dragged up and down the tow path in the dead of winter taking our Big Roo for walks. Everyone used to stop and comment on her wee cheeks, in fact there are a few people we still meet regularly on our walks who reminisce (?) about them!

Her super cute hat is from H&M. Whats cuter than a wee nudie baby in a hat? I tell you what, NATHIN'! (libby's pups are a pretty close second tho)

Martha and the Muffins

If they make it they will eat it. Fact. Banana and bran muffins. At first i made these to get some bran in to the wee woman, now i just make them because they are DEE-LISH.
I've adapted the recipie a bit so i'll give the proper one first and then write my adaptations underneath.

Get stuck in to the sugar before its all mixed in!

.

Recipie:

4.5oz butter
3.5oz brown sugar
4.5 fl oz milk
6.25oz wholemeal flour
3.5oz bran
1 egg
2 mashed bananas (the riper the better, the last ones i used were nearly walking and they were the best ones yet)
1teasp vanilla extract
1teasp baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Just cream the butter and sugar together, add the egg, (today our egg ended up on the dog), milk, vanilla and mashed bananas, then add all the dry ingredients and mix it up. Simples! Bake at gas mark 5 for about 20 mins.

I made these for the 3rd or 4th time today and used 2oz of white flour to make them a bit lighter and i also added about a teaspoon of cinnamon. Cos we love it!

Lick the mixture off every untensil you use!

Try to wait patiently till they're cooked!

You need a really big cup of tea to wash these down!

Puppy Power!

Last week Martha and I visied our friends 'from home' (where my folks live), whose adorable Boston Terrier had a litter of puppies five weeks ago, needless to say Martha (and me) were in heaven cuddling and playing with them. She was very reluctant to leave without one too!

The little dress she is wearing is from Marks and Spencers and her darling little retro shoes are from a vintage shop on Etsy called Stop The Clock Vintage. My friend thinks she looks like an extra from Austin Powers in this outfit. I can think of worse things to be compared to!