Everything and nothing...

It's been a weekend of both terrible and fantastic news.
My parents came to visit too, and it was so lovely to see them: both bits of news reminded us of the value of family.
I have plans afoot and they are starting to feel real; it's exciting, and good to be excited.
We go to Florida in two days time and I can not wait to spend time with some of my favourite people, rest, plan and enjoy some glorious sun!
There is some post Florida excitement to look forward to too; and sadness, but we have one to offset the other and for that I am grateful.

I've not done any sewing....

Starting the Smock

The lovely Mr S and I walked the dobe this afternoon, as they were spraying the crops in High Field.  We stayed well clear but, by 5 o'clock, were nursing headaches and trying not to fall asleep on the sofa.  My plans to make my Elizabethan smock seemed to be disappearing fast.  So, after a shower, dinner and restorative glass of red, I decided that it was time to do something.  Perhaps not the best idea in the world...

I had cut the pieces for the smock out a few days ago.  The first step was to sew the neck lining to the main panel.  Instantly it was obvious that it was too small.  The smock is supposed to just be visible above the neckline of kirtle; the manual says that sometimes they would go as far as two inches above the neckline, for modesty or decorative purposes. I'm sorry but, at the risk of ruining whatever reputation I may or may not have, I am not that modest!  Or that keen on giant bands of decoration.  I have no idea how the pattern was supposed to work; I checked it twice, plus the instructions for how to get the measurement and gave up trying to figure it out.  The neckline just had to be adjusted.

Proof that it's probably best not to sew when frustrated, headachey, tired and a half a glass of wine better off,  I trimmed the neckline to within half an inch of the outside edge of the lining... all the way around!  Oops, I should have only needed to do the neck and back edges, not the sleeves!

But I like the shape, and I'm feeling stubborn.  I decided to at least get the side gores and a sleeve in to see if it was even possible to continue.  If not, whilst I sit by the pool in Florida next week, I could have some more cotton lawn being delivered in the post.  The instructions for fitting the sleeves are "light" to say the least.  I discarded them, I can see the final shape that I'm going for, so decided to do my own thing and then fit it to Miss G instead.

You can see the faint line of the corset underneath.  I think that the smock neckline may still be a little too high, though there will be some room for manoeuvre on me (Miss G's bust to shoulder measurement is a little longer than mine).  I know, finally, when I'm done so I'm quitting for tonight; but I'm going to persevere and get at least one sleeve sewn in as finished; try it on with everything else, for a proper fitting and see what's what.  Here's hoping my rather grumpy gamble pays off! 

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Kale and Onion Pizza

This my new most absolute favourite thing to eat; I'd even throw in an ironic "EVER!", all thanks again to Mr Fearnley Whittingstall.  I'm not good with doughs, but even I can manage this, so the whole pizza is made from scratch.  

Hugh and I agree, it seems, about many things, pizza dough being one of them; thin, light and crispy is the only way to go.  The dough recipe I follow faithfully and it really is as adaptable and freezable as he promises.  

With regards the topping, I've played with the quantities slightly.  Amounts are per pizza (one third of the dough) and serves 2-3 (2 in our house!)

1-2 tbsps oil

1 large onion, finely sliced

100-150gms curly kale

Sea salt and ground pepper 

Grated cheddar cheese

Heat the oil, add the onions and fry gently until well softened and starting to colour.  Add the kale; approximately two-thirds the amount of onion.  Cook for at least another 5 minutes, until the kale is well wilted.  Season well.  Spread over the pizza base and finely grate the cheese on top; until a shop-bought pizza, this does not want or need to be smothered in cheese.  It's a accompaniment, not the defining characteristic!

Put the pizza in a preheated, hot oven (min 220C, 250C if your oven goes that high) for 10-12 minutes.

And there you have it; 8 slices of crunchy, oniony, cheesy heaven on a perfectly crisp base. The kale is reminiscent of crispy fried seaweed that you get in Chinese restaurants (also a favourite of mine) and who doesn't love fried onions!

HFW's recipe has less onion, more kale and includes garlic.  I have made this a couple of times now and, as much as I love garlic, I don't like it with the kale.  I'm going to try versions with parmesan  and goats cheese.

Got to dip my toe in the PR pool again...

I loved my days in PR and marketing, as far as I was concerned it was the perfect blend of organising and creating; it was, in hindsight, the perfect job!  So I was delighted when, quite out of the blue last week, my boss asked for some help with the marketing for a charity project.  I was able to while away a couple of hours on a press release and the A4 leaflet above.  Nothing fancy (I wanted to keep it light and summery, with a nod to the waterside theme, and not leave people feeling too overwhelmed by the amount of text we needed to accommodate), but a break from the norm and, as it turns out, the inspiration for this blog's new colour scheme.  We're onto a FB page next, it will be a whole new adventure for the boss, who is not a fan of "unnecessary" tech :o).  He calls me "The Geek" and I refered to his 1990's Nokia (until it's sad demise earlier this year) as the Frankenphone, it was made up of so many refurbed parts...