Everyday budgeting without pain Part 2. Good food without big bills

One of the areas where I’ve noticed we were able to make the most difference in our spending, without adversely affecting our pleasure, health or enjoyment, was in the area of grocery bills and spending on food overall.   We are definitely big foodies – before we had the Biscuit we would eat out in amazing restaurants at least once a week, and spending on food was an enormous outgoing each month (in the days when we could easily afford it).  On a Saturday morning we would regularly be found at Borough Market perusing the finest produce (and buying it). 

We are true omnivores – no food ‘rules’ here, although we do try to focus as much on veggies as possible in our cooking at home, making the most of our weekly veg box.  Our diets are varied – while there are some fall back recipes that we use relatively often, we try and minimise this, and mix it up as much as possible.  I’ll do a separate post sometime on the specifics of our cooking and menu planning, but wanted to give you a bit of background as to the sort of lifestyle we lead to give these ideas some context.

 These are the tips that work for me, and that have helped me reduce our monthly grocery bills from £600 per month to £400 (still working on getting them lower – but there are some things where I won’t compromise).    We also reduced food waste at the same time – and I’m sure our meals have become tastier too!

1.        Menu plan, menu plan, menu plan.  Keep a note of what is in your freezer and store cupboard, and in particular what needs using.  If you get a veg box, look at the weeks planned delivery on their website, and build your meals around this.

2.       Have at least 1 or 2 vegetarian meals a week. 

3.       Make a shopping list before going anywhere near a food shop or supermarket. 

4.       Don’t shop when hungry – bad for the waistline and the wallet when that chocolate cake just happens to fall into the trolleyJ

5.       Don’t use coupons.  Or buy anything on bogoff or 3 for 2.  Unless it was ALREADY ON THE LIST.  If you weren’t going to buy it at full price – then it isn’t saving you money at a discount.  Potential exceptions may be storecupboard ingredients  that you know you will use, such as pasta. 

6.       The freezer is your friend.  If you see a special offer on meat for example, freeze it for later use.  All sorts of things can be frozen to extend their lifespan – milk and cream for example.  And always freeze bread – slice before freezing if it isn’t already sliced, and then you can just pull out a slice or two when you need it.  Great if, like me, you don’t eat much bread.

7.       Build a list of creative recipes that you enjoy, that use cheaper ingredients.  For example we love Mejadra, a middle-eastern mix of lentils, rice and onions.  Recipe here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/09/mejadra-recipe-yotam-ottolenghi.  And I’m determined to get the hang of making Masala Dosas – recipe here: http://www.notderbypie.com/masala-dosas/.  An amazing mix of lentils and rice, made into a pancake and stuffed with potatoes. Cheap, filling, tasty and different.

8.       Choose better, but use less.  A couple of squares of good quality dark chocolate rather than cheap and unsatisfying chocolate bars.  Or use good ingredients but stretch them further – such as using steak in a thai salad, rather than as an individual steak – can make it go more than twice as far.

9.       Choose cheaper cuts of meat such as stewing steak or chicken thighs, or veg in season, rather than fillet steak, chicken breasts and imported blueberries and asparagus.  It may take a little more effort in cooking (although see slow cooking, below), but the flavour will be worth it. 

10.   Slow cookers are great if you’re pressed for time.  A great way of tenderising cheaper cuts of meat, it is also a fantastic way of getting a home cooked meal on the table even if you’re out at work until 8pm.  Loads of recipes out there on the internet – have a look around for things that appeal to you.  The jury is out on whether it actually saves money on the cooking process itself, given that it is on for so long, but it’s definitely a time and effort saver, and also saves money on ingredients (and helps you avoid those pesky ready meals!), so overall it definitely works.

11.   Don’t buy ready meals, and avoid takeaways.  Only pay for a meal if you are in a restaurant.  If you’re at home, make it yourself.  For those nights when you really can’t face cooking, make sure there is always something tasty and homemade tucked away in the freezer.  I usually have a couple of portions of meatballs in tomato sauce, or some bolognaise sauce, or some chilli I can serve with a couple of tortillas.  No more effort than reheating a ready meal or going to the takeaway, and much tastier, cheaper and better for you.

12.   Don’t always go for brand names.  Try own brand products in the supermarket – often you can’t tell the difference.  Particularly for things that are going to be used in something else, such as tinned tomatoes.  Do check prices though, as sometimes special offers on brands will make them cheaper

13.   Store food in the right places.  Do not under any circumstances refrigerate bread – it will go stale far more quickly.  Freeze it if you won’t eat it straightaway, otherwise store in a plastic bag to avoid it drying out.  Store citrus fruit in the fridge, not on the kitchen surface.  Conversely, don’t refrigerate tomatoes or strawberries –they turn wooly.  See here for more: http://www.today.com/id/14072961/ns/today-food/t/fridge-findings-learn-where-store-your-food/%20tips

14.   Learn what ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates mean.  Best before means just that – it isn’t going to hurt you if it’s gone out of date, but it may not be absolutely at its best.  Use by indicates  the latest  date when things should be consumed – but for things such as fruit and veg, it can usually be ignored – they are fine to eat until they really look as if they’ve gone off (see also below).  Milk is also fine to ignore the date on to a certain degree – as long as it doesn’t smell or taste ‘off’.  Same with butter.  Be a bit more careful with yogurt though – apparently it can breed hidden bugs among all those friendly bacteria, as can hummus.

15.   Don’t throw food away unnecessarily – slightly floppy broccoli or chard or leeks can still be made into a great soup or quiche, bendy carrots are fine for making stock or a base for stews.  Slightly wrinkly apples will cook down fine and can be used in a pie or crumble, or just as apple sauce.  Stale bread can be made into breadcrumbs which can then be frozen for use at a later date.

16.   Take your lunch with you to work rather than buying an expensive sandwich.  Tastier and healthier as well as cheaper.  I find the easiest way to do this is to take leftovers.  Make a bit more for dinner the night before, and take what is left with you.  No prep needed.

17.   Entertain at home rather than always going out for dinner with friends.  This is actually much easier anyway now we have a little one.  To really keep costs down, ask your friends to bring the wine.

Everyday budgeting without pain

One of the things I’ve noticed since having to keep an eye on the finances a bit more closely, is just how easy it can be to cut down on bills, by just shopping around, or paying a bit more attention.  I am acutely aware that for some people, money is so tight, that the steps below would only be a drop in the ocean, but for many of us, NOT doing these steps is to throw money down the drain.  Money that could otherwise be saved for the future, or taken from your debts, or simply used to balance the books.

The following are some of my top tips for household bills – I’d love to hear about some of yours:

1)   Look critically at your utility bills and mortgage.  Can you switch to a cheaper provider?  Are you even on the right tariff?  Can you reduce the overall amount you’re paying by paying up front (this is often an option for phone/broadband deals).  Paying by direct debit can often work out cheaper.  Also check the amount you’re paying on your utility bills – if you’re in credit, reduce your payments!  It’s amazing how often utility providers ask you to pay more, regardless of the status of your account.  Better the funds in your pocket than theirs.

2)   Lower the temperature on your central heating by half a degree to a degree – particularly if you have it set on higher than 20 degrees.  Our houses shouldn’t be warm enough to be able to walk around in shorts and t-shirt in the winter.  While you’re on, turn the temperature on your hot water down by a couple of degrees too – I promise you won’t notice the difference (and you’re less likely to scald yourself too).

3)   Turn off the lights in rooms you’re not using.  If you have a room you rarely use, consider turning the radiator off completely, or turning down very low.

4)   Don’t use domestic air-conditioning.  It really isn’t necessary in the UK.  And most other places in Northern Europe.  And it really isn't pleasant being in an air-conditioned environment.  Open a window - use a fan.

5)   Keep track of your spending – don’t just do the budget as a one –off exercise, but keep an eye on things all the time.  If you know you’ll have to write it down, it keeps you accountable.

6)   Consider getting a water meter if you live in a property with more bedrooms than people, or if you are out for much of the day.  Even with us having 3 bedrooms and 3 people and the extra washing that comes with a baby or toddler, we still come out ahead.  Why pay more for the same thing?

7)   Check your direct debits and standing orders on your bank account, as well as any regular payments coming from your credit card.  Are you paying for something that you no longer need, or that has been cancelled?  Examples could include insurance, a direct debit for a membership which has expired, or something like airport lounge access when you no longer fly frequently (yes  - that was me!)

8)   Get a cashback credit card and use it for as much as possible.  Its amazing how much you can gain.  But beware.  Only do this if you know you can keep track, and you know you’ll be able to pay it off in full each month.  The costs of borrowing on these cards far outweigh any benefit to be gained from the cashback.  You can also make ‘extra’ cash by shopping online via cashback websites (I use Topcashback.co.uk).  You need to be disciplined though, as their whole purpose is to tempt you into additional purchases with the thought of cashback.  If you didn’t need the item in the first place, it isn’t free cashback.  Same goes for loyalty points – I find Boots and their threshold spend coupons the most dangerous.  Just check that what you are gaining outweighs the cost.

9)   Run your washing machine on cold, or 30 degrees.  Use a short cycle unless what you are washing is really dirty.  Take the same approach for the dishwasher.  Use the short cycle for everyday – its rare that something won’t be clean within the 30-40 mins it takes.   And only run it when totally full.  Most of us have sufficient crockery and cutlery to manage.

10) Save your loose change in a jar – we save everything up to and including 50 pence pieces.  Its amazing how it adds up!

11) Walk where possible instead of using the car.  This one is easy for me as I don’t even drive – but it astonishes me the number of people who drive the few hundred metres to the local shop.  Walk.  Better for your health, your wallet and the planet.

Next instalment in the series will be about eating well and still keeping the budget in check.

In the meantime, have a wonderful Easter!

Living elegantly and well within your means

The concept of living within your means somehow sounds terribly old-fashioned.  To me it conjures up images of a 50’s housewife trying to stretch the housekeeping money.  But its a concept that seems have even more meaning in current times, where just about everyone is feeling the pinch.

Pre-Biscuit, Mr Biscuit and I were in the very lucky situation of having 2 substantial full time salaries coming in every month.  Things were good enough that the cost of holidays didn’t really need to be considered too much, and my clothing ‘budget’ was more or less whatever I fancied spending.

Following the birth of the Biscuit, I was lucky enough to have 6 months maternity leave with full pay, so even then things didn’t really change (in fact as I was spending less, they were even easier financially).  But then I went back to work part time – 4 days a week.  And we hired a nanny for the Biscuit – even more expensive than nursery.  And then 4 months later Mr Biscuit was made redundant.

So our disposable income went down overnight by about 70%.   Although Mr Biscuit is now nicely self-employed and loving what he is doing, he is evidently at the moment not earning what he used to.

Slowly the penny dropped that we probably needed to start budgeting and that the ‘thoughtless’ spending that we’d been used to couldn’t carry on.  We were actually very lucky that we had never gone overboard on the mortgage, and had only borrowed an amount that one of us could easily pay on our salary.  We had no other debts, and also a reasonable level of savings to keep the wolf from the door in the worst case scenario.  Our car isn’t fancy either, and was paid for in cash a couple of years ago.

I’ve been hearing the phrase ‘elegant frugality’ bandied around the blogosphere.  No idea where it started, but it felt like something I could embrace.  I couldn’t truly comprehend a self-denying, bad-food eating kind of frugality, but I was feeling excited about a change in lifestyle which focussed on simple but enjoyable home cooking, making the most out of basic and affordable ingredients, a wardrobe where each piece was considered and appropriate and within budget, and pleasant and fun holidays and outings. 

My ideas and actions aren’t necessarily focussed on those people who might be in a worse situation financially; those who may need to consider the repayment of significant debts or who doesn’t have the necessary cushion of savings.  They may need to be more robust in their approach – there is plenty of help out there – one of the best known in the UK is Martin Lewis on MoneySavingExpert.com. but there also seems to be a huge community of bloggers who espouse true frugality and economy.  Try searching for the words ‘frugal blog’ and see what you find.  I’d be interested to hear about any real gems.

I’m planning a series of posts, with some of the tips that I’ve found helpful in balancing the budget. 

The first step is evidently to know what you have coming in, and going out.  There are various tools out there to help (including one on MoneySavingExpert), but depending on your abilities with excel and other software, you could easily create your own.  The main thing is to include all outgoings – including the intermittent ones such as Christmas, car repairs/servicing etc, and not just those regular monthly bills.   And don’t kid yourself.  Look at your bank statements and credit card and be honest about how much you spend on clothes, or beauty treatments, or hair, or dining out.  The exercise can only work if you have the full picture upfront.

Having done this myself, I was showing initially about a £1000 per month shortfall.  The next step was to find ways of cutting this down – ideally without too much suffering!

Any good ideas are more than welcome here.

The Panic

Out it came from the wardrobe.  The grey sweater that I’d forgotten about and that doesn’t even really fit that well.  The one that I haven’t worn for 3 years.  And in it went to the charity shop bag.  Along with those white cropped linen trousers which are just, so , grannyish.  And so not sexy yummy mummy forty-something French vogue-ish funky city dwelling rock chick.  (A girl has to aim high!)

And off I went to work.

And then the panic set in.  No matter that I could retrieve the jumper and trousers when I got home. No matter that I’d forgotten I owned the jumper, and the trousers were just too M&S for words.  I was instantly worrying that I would IMMEDIATELY have cause to wear them, and that if I didn’t have them anymore I’d have to go and find new ones, and I probably wouldn’t be able to, and then WHAT WOULD I DO????!!!!

What on earth was all that about?  I’ve been clearing and sorting my wardrobe for ages, on and off.  And whilst the current purge is probably more extensive and far-ranging than any other I’ve done, I’m not just leaving myself with a pair of jeans and a white shirt (that would be hell on earth for me!).  And some of the things I’ve got rid of or sold, I liked far more than these 2 things.

The only thing I can think of is that the decision this morning wasn’t based on a few weeks of consideration like most of my ‘deletions’.  It was spur of the moment, ‘I don’t like this’. 

But I’m resolute – they are staying in the charity bag.

Have you ever experienced this?  What did you do?  Did you manage to stay resolute in the face of temptation?

Project 333 wardrobe March

Project 333 wardrobe March

First of all, apologies for this being a bit late, but here is my 33 item wardrobe for March (from Polyvore).  Its had a few last minute additions as the weather here in London has suddenly turned freezing and snowy again (please- its March!  Some warmth would be most welcome).  Luckily I'd actually originally planned to 29 items only, so it was easy to add on a couple of things.  You'll notice its not too dissimilar to February in composition - I was hoping it would have a bit more of a springlike look to it by now- but with this weather we are still firmly in winter mode.  Just one significant new addition - my new Whistles dress (the blue and pink patterned one front and centre stage).  Its hubby's birthday tomorrow, so this will be getting an outing.  Can't wait!

I'm finding this 33 item wardrobe idea strangely liberating at the moment, although I suspect as the weather starts changing it may become trickier to cover all the bases.  It has definitely helped me to get rid of a number of things out of the wardrobe - focusses the mind on what really works rather than keeping things just in case.  Last month and this month together I've cleared 40 items out (10 % of my total wardrobe) - with another 12 that need Ebaying when I get round to it.  Slowly and surely.

Would love to know what you think.  Any suggestions of pieces to add?

The one vital question

As a Pinterest and decluttering addict, it really is amazing how much information you can find out there in the blogosphere.  In particular there are endless lists of questions which are designed to guide the organiser through the decision making process of what to keep and what to save.

One recent blog I was reading had an article with 36 (yes – really – 36!) ways to cull your closet.  I’m not going to post the link here after being ever so slightly derogatory about it (sorry!), but having read through it, I really felt that if I’d answered every question, I’d have talked myself out of getting rid of the item.  Especially when some of the questions relate to absolute value/cost of the item, rather than its intrinsic worth to you.

Such questions would have led to me keeping a number of very expensive designer items from what I always think of as ‘my former life’ that neither fit me or suit me and that there is no way I would have worn again.

Ultimately, the one vital question for me is always – would I buy it again today?

Don’t consider whether you could afford to buy it again today – if I did that then all my lovely expensive dresses would be gone!  No.  This is quite simply another way of putting ‘do I love it’ – and ‘was it worth it’ combined into one simple question. 

It is truly and amazingly effective.  This last 2 weeks I’ve got rid of a couple of skirts that are ‘nice’ – but not wow.  A pair of trousers that I’d been keeping just in case (in case of what I have no idea).  And a pink jacket that is absolutely lovely – but that is absolutely not me.  These were all things that had stuck in my wardrobe from initial declutterings, and even the kick-start clearout from the 33 item wardrobe. 

 Try it and let me know the results.  I think you might be amazed!

Project 333 February

Project 333 February by biscuitmummy featuring skinny fit jeans

As promised, here is the core of my February Project 333 wardrobe.  There are a couple of extra items that I haven't included, such as my huge puffa coat which has been worn almost constantly as it has been so cold!  The wrap dress in the top corner is the closest approximation of the actual dress I've been wearing - mine is blue, black and red.  I have worn each of the items pictured here, at least once, and most more than once.  I think it actually looks pretty good set out here like this! 

Here is the full list of things I've included (most of them are from previous seasons so unfortunately I can't add links to where to buy them.  The best approximations I could find are in the Polyvore set).

1. Blue LK Bennett fitted blue jersey dress
2. Monsoon blue and red tunic dress
3. Valentine Gaulthier Navy blue midi dress
4. LK Bennett Black pencil skirt
5. Whistles pink pencil skirt (mine is longer than the one pictured)
6. French connection grey sweater dress - mine has a full skirt than pictured
7. Jigsaw navy silk round neck blouse
8. Zara polka dot blouse
9. French connection black chiffon shirt
10. Black long sleeved t-shirt - relatively fitted and stretchy, more of a base layer
11. Black high heeled shoe boots
12. Black biker/riding boots
13. Leopard print belt
14. Blue patent belt
15. All Saints black skinny jeans
16. Current Elliott boyfriend jeans (the ones I have are the ones in the picture in this case)
17. Orange and navy whistles scarf
18. Uniqlo navy pea coat
19. J Crew orange cashmere sweater
20. French connection parka
21. Zara 60's style black wool coat
22. White company dark grey merino wool tunic top (not pictured)
23. J Crew grey cashmere sweater
24. Ash ankle boots
25. Marks and Spencer heeled knee high boots
26. Jigsaw black and tan striped long sleeve t-shirt
27. Clarks navy blue shoe boots
28. Monsoon puffa coat
29. Next leopard print fake fur jacket
30. J Brand combats (as pictured)

As mentioned before, although the list above is only 30 items (amazing how much it looks!), I have 'cheated' a little by not including jewellery - it would annoy me too much not being able to wear the right necklace for the outfit.

Would love to hear what you think. 

Project 333 - and a bit

Following on from my thoughts below about the 10 item wardrobe,  I’ve recently been reading a fascinating blog called Project 333 (http://theproject333.com/) – fabulously sub-titled ‘Simple is the new black’.

The basic premise is that each 3 months, you select 33 items of clothing, and wear these and only these in rotation.  Unlike the 10 item wardrobe, the 33 includes accessories, coats, shoes, jewellery.  Excluded are jewellery items worn all the time, underwear, workout gear etc.   For full ‘rules’ and details I’d recommend reading the Project 333 website as I’m bound to get something wrong here!

I am somehow drawn to this concept of simplicity, and am current in the middle of an experiment to see if it can work for me.  There is one big difference however.  Courtney, who started the blog, is clearly not into clothes or fashion, and her overall lifestyle aim is very different to mine.  She is clearly a minimalist, wanting to strip everything down as far as possible.  I’m not in that space and I don’t think I ever will be. 

I love my clothes and I love playing with the message they give.  To me, even actively choosing not to pay too much attention to your look is sending a clear statement about who you are and what you believe.  Like it or not, we are generally superficial creatures, and we do make assumptions based on the way we look.   And why not actively try and positively influence this with our clothes and overall look?

So here is my take on Project 333 – definitely a cheat’s version, but a version nonetheless

·         Given the unpredictable nature of the London weather, I’ve decided to take this one month at a time.  33 items for January, 33 for February etc. 

·         There can be overlap between the items each month – and indeed there has been significant overlap from January to February.

·         I only select 30 items at the beginning of the month – giving myself a bit of wiggle room for unexpected nights out/freak weather/boredom.

·         I do include accessories, but I’m not strict on sticking to this, and I don’t include jewellery. 

My main aim and objective from this is to try and gain a bit more insight into my wardrobe, and what I naturally gravitate towards when pushed.  Overall, if something doesn’t make it into the 33 item wardrobe at all, unless it’s a unique item or something for special occasions, I will strongly question whether it really belongs there. 

I may love it, but unless I really want to wear it, and wear it repeatedly, perhaps it’s not the right thing for me.  I’ve already identified about 20 items that were just taking up space in the wardrobe that I would just not wear.  And that’s after a significant amount of de-cluttering over the last year.

I’m also trying to restrict shopping – but that’s a subject for another blog.

In my next post, I’ll give some detail as to what I’ve included in my 33 item wardrobe.

Is this something you think could work for you?  What would be your core items? 

Minimalist or maximalist?

Am I a minimalist or a maximalist?  I’ve been asking myself recently.

On the minimalist side, when reading blogs, I’m often drawn to those where people are writing about de-cluttering and simplifying.  The idea and concept of a good tidy out is something that makes me very, very happy indeed.   I find nothing more therapeutic than sorting through, arranging, and optimising my wardrobe, drawers, bookshelves and storage cupboards.  I find sorting through piles of things stressful, whether it be piles of paper on my desk at work, or the stock of DVDs in the cupboard that have yet again got in a mess.  And the piles of paper that my husband leaves in various locations around the house drive me absolutely crazy. 

Mental clutter is also draining to me.  I have to write tasks down, rather than carrying them around in my head.  And I have to get them done.  If something is never going to be done, I delete it from both the list and my head.  Otherwise it weighs me down.

But, and this is a very big but...I often find myself vehemently disagreeing with the ideas in some of the more extreme minimalist blogs.  The idea of a kitchen with nothing on the surfaces, no indication that you may get fed, no signs of life is absolute anathema to me.  The very expensive ‘perfect’ modern sleek kitchens in the showrooms along Wigmore Street in London (such as this Poggenpohl example), bring me out in a rash and make me want to run in there and get out all my baking kit and throw flour around.

Likewise with my clothes, I do understand that some people have the ability to live with a couple of pairs of jeans and a couple of t-shirts.  But I don’t, and forcing myself to do that feels as if I would be trying to be something I’m not.  I’ve thought about this a lot, and I genuinely don’t believe that I use clothes to compensate for some other failing, or to hide behind.  I just love them.  Ever since I was a tiny girl I’ve loved going shopping, and thinking about dresses and clothes.  At the age of 8 or 9 I wrote a story in which I described what the twin heroines were wearing in the greatest detail!

Decor-wise, I could not live in this (how depressing!):

And I absolutely love this kitchen from Real Living magazine with its open shelves and 'unnecessary' objects on display:

So – too much is too much, but not much is definitely not enough.   I suppose at heart I’m an organised maximalist.  I love things, I love houses that have evidence of life, I love surfaces that are decorated, and walls that are hung with paintings.  I love clothes, jewellery and shoes, and playing with these.  I love kitchens that are full of life.  To me, objects and things have a life of their own, and deserve to be treasured, used and displayed.

But like all things with life, when they are lost as part of a crowd, when they are subsumed into an amorphous mass and can’t be engaged with, they lose what makes them special.  So a surface with artfully arranged vases and items, however full, can be special.  A surface covered with unopened post, keys, discarded items, will never be.  A wardrobe full of beautiful clothes, arranged and properly hung, where each item is visible and fits into a coherent whole, where each item fits and suits, is wonderful, no matter how extensive.  Even a small pile of tattered, unloved clothes is depressing. 

So go ahead and analyse your possessions.  Keep only what you love, or know to be useful.  For some of you it may be more, for some, less.  Your kitchen may only have a few items in it, if you’re not a keen cook.  Others may have a kitchen like mine, which is full of equipment, but with all of it loved and used. 

Get rid of those piles of clutter, the unopened bills, the mental clutter of the never done items on the to do list.  Tidy the DVDs and get rid of the ones that aren’t watched.   And slowly you may reach your optimum stuff/space balance.

I’m not there yet, but I am working on it.  My next post will be about some work I’m doing on my wardrobe.   I’d be really interested to hear what you think. 

Blogger envy

I don't think that blogger lifestyle envy has ever hit me quite so hard as when I started reading this utterly gorgeous blog this afternoon.

http://mimithorisson.com/

Stunning photography, amazing recipes, and a lifestyle in the French countryside that when I'm sitting in my air-conditioned City office, contemplating yet another report, leaves me feeling almost hollow with envy.  Oh to be natural, glamorous and fabulous, popping out on my bicyclette to buy a baguette or two, before whipping up some delicious dish, and taking the most amazingly atmospheric photos.

Mimi - your blog is utterly fabulous, and I hope you don't mind me sharing some images and links here:

la-tarte-au-chocolat/  - I am so going to try this.

And these little tartlets look amazing too. 

 Vegetable tartlets.

Other lovely blogs for dreaming hazily of a completely different life:

Rosy Little Things - a homely life in Oregon

And for indulging my food and New York living fantasies all together

Smitten Kitchen

Hope you all enjoy as much as I have!  Do you have any other suggestions for those dreamy lifestyle blogs?  Please let me know x

Abigail Ahern Design School

Last week I spent the most amazing day at the Abigail Ahern design school.  I’ve always loved decorating, but not necessarily being the most creative or daring soul, I’ve always felt that my house lacked a little something.  Certainly it isn’t as considered or interesting as my clothes/wardrobe which is where my creative energies usually get spent.  And although we are slightly limited by the existence of an energetic 2 year old, and her profusion of toys, there is always something you can do to stamp your personality on a space.

The group of girls in the class was the best – and they had travelled from such a long way away, including Belfast!  Just shows what high renown Abigail is held in within design circles.  And she is so friendly, welcoming and unpretentious – as is her husband, Graham, who kept the teas and coffees coming all day.  Having a group invading your home for the best part of a Saturday can’t be easy, and yet we were welcomed with open arms, and almost given free run of this amazing house, from the top floor (the classroom!) down to the amazing kitchen/family room in the basement.

There were so many ideas buzzing round my head when I left, it has taken me more than a week to let it all percolate through my brain.   The lingering impression was of the use of dark colours far more than I’d ever seen before – on walls, on skirtings and cornicing, and on ceilings.  Right from the outset, and the exterior of the house, dark colours are used in places where you would normally expect white and paler colours.  The overall effect is dramatic, and as Abigail points out, really makes objects and furniture ‘pop’.  It can also be slightly disorientating and adds to the slightly fantastical and unreal feel of the house.

My favourite room was the kitchen, where dark painted cupboards, dark walls and dark ceilings made it homely and as ‘unkitcheny’ a room as I have seen.   Here is a little vignette of the island unit, from Abigail’s blog.

When it comes to kitchens I think the course may have paid for itself in avoiding design fees and the purchase of an expensive mistake.  I have already decided that my new kitchen will have dark cupboards, and I love the approach of using painted MDF in slightly oversized cupboard doors - although I may have to try the dark walls and ceiling approach in the downstairs loo first before deciding whether its for me.  Abigail was constantly encouraging us to be brave, but I’m obviously a decorating wuss!

Lighting was another key element of the course – the kitchen shows Abigail’s unexpected use of table lamps in all settings – I will definitely be trying this one as well.    Abigail suggested always adding more lighting that you ‘need’, and whilst I am already familiar with the 3 types of lighting (overhead, task, decorative), her encouragement to add more, and consider it as decoration and not just treat it as a practicality was very well received.   I am married to a lighting designer/electrician http://www.electricfilament.co.uk/lighting-design and he was fascinated with the ideas I came back with (and suspected that he is going to be installing more lighting sockets in future!).

Abigail also encouraged us to break the rules – move furniture away from the walls, break up spaces, use items that are either too big or too small.  Now this I can do – a bit of rebel decorating!   Ideas included propping pictures up on a mantelpiece rather than hanging them, or using piles of books with vases or other objects on them to provide height and interest.

Playing with texture was another key point.  Throughout Abigail’s home things are combined together, shiny with scruffy, highly textured with smooth.  I love the effect of this room (not Abigail’s) with the traditional furniture combined with the leather and glass – sums up the feel for me.

All in all a fabulous day with some great food for thought.  Abigail’s home is interesting as it is obviously so designed – there is little evidence of normal life there (we never found out where she keeps her clothes!), but it still feels homely and loved rather than being a showhouse.

For me, the main thing is that things don’t have to be perfect, and mis-matching and randomness creates a specific feel which is most welcome.  I’ve already started strewing books around the place in piles – and have big plans for my kitchen with a pot of dark paint!

For further details on the workshops, see http://www.atelierabigailahern.com/index.asp (no - she isn't paying me!)

Her blog, which often has some great pictures of her house, and other great rooms, is here: http://abigailahern.wordpress.com/

All pictures other than the kitchen vignette are from http://www.lonny.com/ - another great source of inspiration!

10 Item Wardrobe Challenge

As you know, I’m big on de-cluttering and only keeping clothes that you absolutely love.  But I have recently had a big wake up call that made me think about how ruthless I actually am with my wardrobe, and with keeping only those things that are ‘perfect’.

I was reading Lessons from Madame Chic  by Jennifer L Scott , which is a lovely, frothy little read about an American’s experiences staying with an aristocratic family in Paris, and in there, the chapter that most captured my attention was titled ‘the 10 item wardrobe’.  I was intrigued enough from reading this to check out Jennifer’s blog – which can be found here, in which she has a couple of additional entries about this concept, and  in which shows the viewer her version.

And I started thinking – could I ever make this work for me?  Jennifer admits that Madame Chic, from whom she got the original inspiration, had a very specific and formal style, wearing effectively the same classic pieces all the time.

Jennifer works from home (she is a full time blogger and mummy – lucky girl!) and therefore doesn’t necessarily have the sartorial challenges that come from a sort of high-powered-ish job in the City – combined with mummy days at home.  She also admits she isn’t a fashionista.  I may not be a fully-fledged fashion bunny these days – but I do still love my trends, and playing around with clothes.

So – I had almost decided that it was impossible before I even started.  With my lifestyle challenges effectively necessitating 2 separate wardrobes in any case, a wardrobe which currently runs to about 200 pieces, plus shoes, t-shirts and accessories, and my love of fashion and experimenting, how could I possibly reduce what I have to something so fundamental.

But I decided I would try to pick out those key items which I cannot do without.  Not necessarily a 10 item wardrobe, but at least a list of vital pieces.  A sort of desert island discs of sartorial staples if you like.

And it was illuminating.  The ultimate list was not necessarily the most stylish or interesting list of pieces.  But it did show me what I use most frequently and what I would find it most difficult to live without.

The final list was:

1.     Indigo skinny jeans

2.     J Brand Combats

3.     Grey cashmere v-neck

4.     Navy round neck blouse

5.     Striped gathered sleeve t-shirt top

6.     Black fitted dress

7.     J Crew geometric skirt

8.     lace t-shirt top

9.     black 7/8ths trousers

10.  Zara black puff sleeve jacket

11.  Cream silk shell

12.  Cream beaded cardigan 13.  Navy blue long sleeved jersey midi dress

Not quite 10 items, but nearly.  You’ll notice that coats, accessories and shoes are not included in here – but neither were they in the original challenge.  So not cheating. 

13 item wardrobe by biscuitmummy

I haven’t gone anywhere near reducing my wardrobe down from the 200 items in there, to just these 13 – and I guess that different combinations would be needed for Spring, Summer and Autumn, given the weather challenges in the UK.  But it has inspired me to clear out some more things that just don’t inspire, fit, or suit as I continue to streamline. 

What do you think?  Could you be inspired to shrink your wardrobe by such an extent? 

 

Ladylike chic

Ladylike chic by biscuitmummy featuring kate spade shoes

Here is my first venture into the playground that is Polyvore!  What do you think of my first attempt?