Book Review: Kirstie Allsopp Homemade Home

My new book arrived last week.

It follows on the footsteps of The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home by Jane Brocket, which is one of my desert island books. I run to it again and again for inspiration on all things domestic.

Kirstie Allsopp is one of my favorite TV presenters. 

I love her style and her accent, and the way she gets involved with all her projects.

 This book offers insights into Ms. Allsopp's finds for her Channel 4 TV show in an inspiring, delightful to read and easy to follow format.

There is everything from crochet to knitting, to making pillows or a lampshade,

and how to make a rag rug.

My mother and grandmother used to make these.

How to decorate a cake

And also lovely photography and room by room ideas to inspire.

If you are making your list for Santa, make sure you ask him for Kirstie's Homemade Home.

What's on your nightstand-April

,

Hello dear friends,

I have a chronic procrastrination habit. There, my secret is out with you. My reading habits are no exception to my multi-tasking-and-almost-never-fully-comleting-something-I-want-to-do for-myself pattern. When I saw this while browsing 5 minutes for mom for the Ultimate Blog Party, I thought 'why not?', 'maybe that will help you stick with something to read, at least'. However, this is no easy task.

Sometimes I return home exhausted and all I can muster the courage to do is read from my little book of night prayer. When I come home for a small midday break, I find it very relaxing to listen to Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fearby Max Lucado. I often dose into a 10 minute sleep that is a result of a more peaceful heart and a more confident approach to my day.

When I feel the need for something uplifting with reagrd to my public image, then The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman comes handy! It makes me aspire to some more feminine elegance and grace which is welcomed in our business. I can read little chunks of advice, and that is a good thing for my short attention span!

My more constant state of mind, though, is playing pioneer woman. I think I have never outgrown Little House on the Prairie and all the narratives of female relatives about how the family settled in Milwaukee at the beginning of the last century, which is our family equivalent of driving or rather sailing to the Wild West. And as I grow older, I think , "why should I outgrow it?"  My eldest came from her school trip yesterday (I must tell you all about it; they went to a ranch!) with a key chain that reads: "Growing older is inevitable; growing up is optional". Reading my feelings, is she?

So, for these times I keep next to me Prairie Tale: A Memoir,which is the memoir of Melissa Gilbert, aka Laura. What I did not know and I found out while writing this post, -which is not helpful for my reading habits- is that "Nellie" will have her own prairie life story published this summer! Her book is called Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated.Did you like Nellie at all (provided you are roughly my age and watched Little House as a young girl) ? I must admit I loved Laura's character the most, but I sympathised with Nellie quite alot, the major reason being her hair: it looked so much like the way my mother had my hair styled :/

Here is my challenge then for the coming month: Finish Prairie Tale before moving on to Prairie Bitch! Shall I make it? I shall keep you posted!

Read about more reading challenges right here.

Thankful Thursday-Dear 2010

Oh welcome 2010!

I hope you have all good things for us. Good health. Making shaping up a reality. Enthusiasm for work. Love to and from our loved ones. Patience with the others. Blossoming creativity. Perseverence in making our earthy dreams come true. Growing in Christ. And some really good times, too.

Yesterday I finished Have a Little Faith: A True Story by Mitch Albom.

I didn't like it at times. The carricature of the virtuous, spiritual rabbi and the brutal Christian priest was too biased, I find. But I am thankful I read on because it was a good book, a book I stayed up late to read, such satisfaction it gave me, and it has a nice message and some passages to keep for my heart's reference. Like this one that I am sharing here:

It is summer and we are sitting in his office. I ask him why he thinks he became a rabbi. 
He counts on his fingers.
"Number one, I always liked people.
"Number two, I love gentleness.
Number three, I have patience.
Number four, I love teaching.
Number five, I am determined in my faith.
Number six, it connects me to my past.
Number seven-and lastly-it allows me to fulfill the message of our tradition: to live good, to do good, and to be blessed."
I didn't hear God in there.
He smiles.
"God was there before number one".

As I read on, I even related to the term rabbi. Whenever my grandfather and I were travelling outside the parish, English people who were not used to seeing Greek Orthodox priests, would call my grandfather "rabbi". With his long white beard and his traditional long black cloack he didn't look like the other westernized Greek Orthodox priests : dark suit, white colar, short beard.When the new Archbishop of Great Britain was ordained, he'd told him a couple of times to consider changing into a more modern attire. By that time my grandfather was in his 70s, and quite a fixture. He never changed into trousers. Even when working in the garden, he would wear an old cloack and lift it up to the sides to help with movement.

Reading the book re-ignited my dream of becoming of service. There is hardly a community spirit in modern Greek society as we understand it in the States. There is a lot of snooping, which cooker did you get so that I get the same, where did you get those shoes, that sort of thing. But there could be.

I was surprised yesterday when C and I went to church. We usually go to the church in our old neighborhood on the other side of the city. The children like it, it is smaller and quieter and I am attached to it, because that is where I cried and prayed for me and my husband and our family, and God listened and felt mercy for my tears and lead us back to Him.

But yesterday I woke up late, so we rushed to the church nearest to home. It is new, big and barren and we generally like more intimate places. However, as I waited in line for the antidoron, a piece of blessed bread that is not Holy Communion but is distributed to all attendants in return for the gift of bread and wine that one is supposed to bring to church (I haven't in a long time), I heard the priest addressing everyone by their name, asking about their troubles and so on. I was quite surprised and moved.

Last night I wrote in my diary that I want to be of service, and that the thought of becoming a presbytera, litterally translated as an elder woman, which is the priest's wife, came back to my heart and mind. I don't know what God has in store for us. But I am so humbled by detecting a liking of C for the church. On Jan 5th, we went to church to get some agiasmos (Holy Water) that is traditionally blessed on the day before Epiphany and is kept for blessing the home all year round. That particular church apparently finishes later than usual, so C had to drive me to work and go back to church to wait for the end of the service and the Holy Water. He waited, and he even phoned me to let me hear a hymn that he liked.

So, there you are, dear 2010. I don't know what you will make of my heart's wish, or even if it is a good wish, or a lasting wish. But I hope that you will make the best of it! And I am very thankful for that and for you, and for my very first 2010 Thankful post.

Epiphanies

Epiphany in two ways. First of all, the religious aspect of the days. C and I went to church this morning. A little while after we arrived the 1st chapter of Genesis was being read. A blessing of the water followed. Tomorrow takes place the blessing of the sea, rivers and lakes which is quite picturesque. I remember the ceremony my grandfather officiated in England. There were Scottish pipes, the Mayor, the Archbishop, little girls dressed in white, the chorus and the people and we all went to the sea near Dover to throw the cross into the sea. Then young men would jump into the sea to catch it. What a blessing.
The thing is, we don't know a good time when we have it, especially when we are young.

On another epiphany. Last night I found a copy of The Secret, in Greek. I am not into reading in Greek, apart from newspapers and magazine. English reads, blogging and the occasional speaking with the girls' English teacher is what keeps my English quite flexible after all these years. But yesterday J was playing with wii, and I was siting next to him, watching, when I grabbed The Secret and began reading quite mindlessly.

I have done my fair share of new age reading, and since Christ showed me the way to Him, I avoid reading the stuff. There was some sense into the idea, though. I have had a lot of negative thoughts recently. C is in his own world for the past few weeks. I am bored with all the paperwork at work and resent the burden. The arrival of the moody in laws didn't do much to cheer me up. You know that kind of unease you feel when you want to do better but you feel like hybernating.

Since last night I have been practicing. Whenever a dull/negative/bad thought comes into my mind I chase it away. When I can speak about the in laws, I don't . I just did, but that was to give you the idea. I pretend, I make do. I believe it works.

Happy Epiphany, then. In many parta of the world, today it's Christmas, as of the old calendar. So the festive time continues.

Show and Tell Friday-Europe

Hello dear friends,
you may recall from last week's post that some old books have found their way to my bookshelves recently. Let me show you today a very special one. First of all it is a gift for which I'm very hankful.

It is a book about Europe. I love travel companions. The world is so big and so beautiful and diverse, and we probably won't see but a tiny part of it in our lifetime. What a nice way to travel back in time simultaneously...

I love old lithographs and books with old fashioned paintings. Wouldn't you love to travel across the Atlantic on that steamer?

There are pictures from across Europe. The time, not that far away, when people still put on their traditional costumes. What a wealth!

Here we are in Greece. There are modern time miracles, too. Like the Isthmus of Corinth, the canal which connects the Peloponnesus peninsula with mainland Greece. It was built in 1893, effectively making the Peloponnesus...an island, and fascilitating boat traffic.

Look at these girls. What kind of life did they lead? They were certainly quite priviledged, since they went to school.

I love this passage...I think I'll put it somewhere on my blog! (Click all pictures to view larger)

Thank you for stopping by today. And Thank You Cindy for hosting. See you all next week.

Have we got the flu?

Hello dear friends,
J woke up this morning with a temperature. And caugh. And a sore throat. And I got up with a headache. Does it mean we've got the flu? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps!
Schools are all shut down as of yesterday. ALL of the schools in the region.
I'm right now holding the fort at the shop, while C and the girls are shaping up J's bedroom. It's not exactly a quarantine, but he ought to and does need to spend more time there, anyway. I am told they just put up his new curtains. They have been on the making for a year now! And a new cover for his bed. I'm not sure it will be picture worthy, but if it is, I'll show you a glimpse.
We are redecorating the shop for Christmas on Monday and Tuesday. I hope I'll be in a position to do so by then. Most of the furniture is here but I miss quite a lot of the linen.
Yesterday I woke up early, by myself. I did 10 min yoga, then 30 min on the treadmill. It felt great!
I have began reading Sarah Palin's book Going Rogue: An American Life. I find the insight fascinating and the reading is flowing. I admire women who follow their vision. Doing so in politics is even harder. I am also reading High Wages by Dorothy Whipple. I haven't read a novel that kept me reading on in quite some time. I did a course on the Industrial Revolution in College and the cotton mills and all that time come so alive in this book! I want to listen to I Dreamed A Dream by Susan Bolyle. What a voice she has!
There. That's what is going on here. Sending you good wishes and kind thoughts. Talk to you soon!

Julie and Julia-The recipes

I'd love to see Julie and Julia, mainly because of Meryl Streep that I love. It seems to me that we won't be seeing it in cinemas, although there is a release day of October 15. This is not the kind of film that lasts on the big screen. But then who knows? It will probably come out on DVD for the fall/winter season. We'll see.

Here is what I found out today, though.
In the movie's website, there are recipes to be enjoyed now. Oh Joy!

Like this recipe for Chocolate Souffles.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, plus more for ramekins

7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons warm water

8 large egg whites, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

1. Brush 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (This can be done a day ahead.)
2. Set an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
3. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
4. Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture. (Rinse the bowl well, if using for beating the egg whites.)
5. Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large nonreactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.
6. Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet. (Level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.)
7. Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
   

(Recipe and pictures from here. There is more!)

To be seen with film scenes. Fantastic, Sony Pictures people! Go to the official website here.

I believe some great recipes are to be found in JULIE AND JULIA: 365 DAYS, 524 RECIPES, 1 TINY APARTMENT KITCHEN, and there is also the book that isnpired the movie, Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously.

I shall come back to Julie and Julia with some new info, and of course I will post my critique when I see the film. Meanwhile, let's get cooking!

Old School books

Hello,
I hope you are all having a great time, while we are celebrating Easter and the Spring term vacation. I shall write and post photos soon, but till then, have a look at this video I found while googling a Greek author.
It has pictures of Greek school books. Some of them I remember from my husband's collection, some are older. Quite interesting , I believe. Enjoy.

It's here!

It is finally raining. You won't believe it but I love seeing the sky grey and the drops slowly falling down from above. Too much sunshine, too much heat this past summer.
I got my parcel of the fall/winter season books yesterday.The delivery people came today with a boxfull of books. I love getting beautiful mail!

There are some fiction books,The Chocolate Lovers' Club, inspirational cooking from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Express and Jamie Oliver's "Jamie at Home": Cook Your Way to the Good Life, and lovely deco with Cath Kidston's Tips for Vintage Style and Shoestring Chic: Extraordinary Style for Less (Country Living).

The top pick of my order though is The Gentle Art of Domesticity. I have written about this book here and I was looking forward to receiving it, to see if it really fit all the excitement it has created in the blogosphere.

Let me then say, it is a beautiful book. I wish I was given this when I was beginning my married life. it would have saved me so much struggle. I only pray there is still time for me and for lots of other women around the globe struggling with the career/home divide to see that there doesn;t have to be a rift, a divide, that we have the right to be who we long to be deep inside us.

What I find exciting about this publication is that it represents a soft wave of women who are staying at home and are proud of it. They are not staying at home because they are unemployable, they are not vulgar, silly dumbos or religiously biased...
Rather they are educated, have a strong sense of style and stay at home out of choice or make the best of it.

Being brought up in an one parent family within a conservative milieux, my mother struggled hard to make me embrace her view that women should be self-sufficinet and even manlike if they are to go ahead in life. And she was absolutely right, given the circumstances.
Therefore domestic life was not something I aimed for. I embraced learning and the academic life, but for better or for worse, not wholeheartedly. I never was a bad girl, a walk- over-your -dead-body kind of person, even when I talked myself into becoming tough. It took me years to come to terms with that part of me and to accept the fact that not being sinister does not make you an idiot.
It took me years and alot of patience from my husband to help me come to terms with domestic life and the fact that I quite simply look forward to come back home from work. This doesn't mean that I don't like working or that I am not grateful we have a business to support us. But it gets on my nerves when people tell me "You need to get out of the home, leave the kids, go out and have lunch" and so on, when what I want is stay at home and make lunch and spend some lovely moments with my husband and kids!

I do not know if I could be like Ms. Brocket. Maybe in ten years time. But I love her approach. No one is pressured to comform to a stereotype, even the new Brocket-type. Everything is offered in manageable bits, an inspiration rather than a thesis.
Of course modern type society does not like to see pictures like this one. Or that one of Jamie Oliver picking his own veggies.
Or like this one from Cath Kidston's book. We are supposed to be angry, dissatisfied and disfunctional.

Cozyness is a no-no. Familiarity with life as we knew it must be banished in sterile environments of absurdly expensive designer homes and designer clothing. But no. Something inside us longs for domesticity, not domestication, as Ms. Brocket points out. Nevertheless we feel guilty accepting it because this is not what we are supposed to do.


Baking a cake, cooking whole foods, sewing, knitting, crochetting, cross stitching, all those domestic arts that have been burried into the oblivion of the perfectly groomed super woman/wife/mother/worker are here to enjoy, to tempt us to let us express a supressed part of ourselves.

Modern yet sweet, romantic but in a new way.

Consciously turning our backs, walking away from the hype.


Enjoying the simple life, where crisis after crisis, often self-imposed, lead nowhere.

Yes, then, here it is on my desk.
I don't know how to knit. Or crochet. But in the evening we may snuggle in our blankets and read together, instead of munching mindlessly in front of the TV, bringing love and comfort to our souls instead of anguish and fear.
I may even put my long abandonned cross stitch in my bag!..

Thank you Ms. Brocket. I never thought it was doable.