little birdie

Loving These

2013-05-20T08:34:00.000+01:00

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Hello!
A very happy Monday to you all.
I'm off on the school run in a mo, then heading to work in the Market Garden.
Before that I thought I'd show my favourite Pins of the last week.
They all have a real vintage feel to them today.
Hope you like them too.
I must just draw your attention to the last little beauty. It's a cushion commission by Modflowers and it's heading to a new owner. Now I wonder who that could be? x

52 Weeks of Happy (33/52)

2013-05-19T16:13:00.000+01:00

Hello.
Hope you are all well.
I'm so tired and my feet really hurt.
This working five days a week as a Market Gardener is really taking it's toll on me!

It's nice to know that so many of you are still keeping up with this project. But sometimes I feel a bit drained trying to write these posts. Perhaps it's down to how things have been difficult over the last few months. Although it can also feel like I'm writing the same post every week too. I think a yearly project is hard to sustain and keep up to but I am going to see it through. Is anyone else feeling the same way?

Here are this week's happy things:

▲ The Boy and I have spent a lovely day together, swimming at the Victorian Baths this morning and a woodland walk this afternoon. It's even been sunny!

▲ Collecting some wildflowers and using old jam jars to display them. I think they are so pretty and cheap!

▲ The beautiful fabric in the picture above is from the gorgeous Rachel. I just love it. And the best thing is I sent her a quick message saying which colours I was looking for and she came up with the perfect fabric for me. Isn't blogging wonderful for making new friends and ones that just totally get you?

▲ And finally the absolutely brilliant Case Histories is back on BBC1 tonight. It's just some of the best television I've watched in years. I'd read all the books by Kate Atkinson and was surprised when they cast Jason Isaacs in the role of Jackson Brodie, but he is perfect. Roll on 8.30pm!

Have a happy week everyone. x

Orla Kiely's home

2013-05-18T20:16:00.002+01:00

Hello!
You may have already seen these photographs of Orla Kiely's home in The London Magazine but if you haven't you are in for a huge treat!
I absolutely adore her home - the colours, the light and those amazing windows.
Well it's just stunning isn't it?
It must be fantastic to cuddle up in the living room with the dog beside that beautiful stove.
And I love that urban garden - containers bursting with plants and a little table to sip coffee at.
Sigh.
How I wish it could be mine........ x

Lovely Spaces

2013-05-16T09:32:00.002+01:00

Oh isn't it all so gorgeous?
I have serious love for this space.
This is the beautiful home of one of my Instagram friends Helena.
She has so many stunning retro pieces. I'm particularly in awe of her textile and ceramics collection.
These are a few of my favourite images from her feed, but there are so many more to look at.
I get so much inspiration and happiness just looking at her pictures.
I'm sure you will too!

Have a fantastic day. x

Pictures used with kind permission.

My City - Paris (Guest Post by Bunnies and Stripes)

2013-05-14T09:44:00.001+01:00

Hi! I’m Caroline from Bunnies & Stripes. I grew up in various parts of France and Germany but I’m 100% British and on the verge of relocating to sunny Yorkshire! I can’t wait to finally experience life in my own country!

I love design in general and upcycled furniture in particular, as well as finding lovely vintage treasures in flea markets and charity shops. I’m really excited to be on Little Birdie because let’s face it: Jen has got seriously good taste when it comes to vintage.

What is the area you live in like?

My personal suburb, Athis-Mons (the house on the hill in Gallic) is quite dreary so I mostly catch the train up to Paris (it only takes 15 minutes) to meet friends, etc. Or they come to my flat. It’s not in the prettiest of towns but it’s full of good vibes and it has a big terrace that looks out onto an actual patch of grass. So decadent!

What's your favourite place to get a cup of coffee?

I don’t drink coffee or tea except for a morning maté with lots of milk. Anything else would make me all jittery for the day! I did recently discover a new café/bistro called Boco that serves yummy Kombucha AND the best chocolate cookie I’ve ever tasted. I’m serious, I’ll be taking a detour on my way home just to go and buy a cookie for the next few weeks.

Boco is in a recently refurbished area called Bercy village, a long cobbled street packed with trendy restaurants and shops but it’s not particularly touristy, and it’s got a huge park nearby: great for summer brunches AND Christmas shopping!

Where's your place to have a chill out?

There’s a forest just 5 minutes drive from us called “forêt de Sénart”. It’s so big we always start off in a different place and it’s nice and quiet, particularly during the winter when all you can hear are the trees creaking in the breeze (I actually thought that noise was an abandoned kitten meowing its head off at first. It took a fair bit of listening and looking up at the trees to convince me. Mostly because rescuing a poor frozen kitten would be just my kind of adventure).

In the summer we go to the “Port aux cerises” (the cherry harbour) for picnics. It fills up really fast so we try to get there by 11 and enjoy a quiet hour in the sun before lunch!

What's your city like for family living?

I think like most cities, if you have a lot of money and space Paris is great. There’s so much to do and visit. The trouble is everyone else wants to do those things too, and you end up living in a constant crowd, queuing for museums, queuing for restaurants, queuing to buy cinema tickets in advance to make sure you get a seat and then queuing again before the film starts. I’m not ready for children yet but when the time comes I’d like to be able to bring them up in a nice little town with lots of nature nearby. With the occasional trip to Paris to visit the Eiffel tower of course!

What's your favourite view of Paris?

That’s a very good question. I think maybe the Île Saint-Louis, right in the middle of Paris. In the summer hundreds of people gather along the banks of the Seine to eat, drink and be merry. It’s lovely on a warm evening when you’re crossing the bridge over to a whole island surrounded by happy people. It’s also where “Berthillon”, the most famous (and pricey) French ice cream comes from.

Have you got somewhere that always makes you smile?

When I was a romantic teenager who thought Montmartre was the height of Bohemian chic, I used to love going to the “Mur des je t’aime” (packed full of ‘I love yous’ in 311 languages).

Now that I’m happily in love and no longer a tortured soul I prefer to look out for the cute and the quirky:

Have you a favourite museum/art gallery?

Definitely the Musée d’Orsay because the building itself is gorgeous and the layout is so nice and airy. It’s not intimidating and huge like the Louvre and there are plenty of benches where you can sit and admire the impressionists. It’s got a very peaceful feel about it and it houses some incredible art deco furniture.

Is there anywhere you have fond memories of?

The Eiffel tower because I loved going there as a child with my Mama and brother. We used to live in the Yvelines, a nice suburb but quite the train ride from Paris, and my Mum would take us on a day trip every couple of months. She would ask where we wanted to go, and I invariably said “the Eiffel toweeeer”. Once we even spotted a cat climbing the tower while we were riding up on the lift. It just seemed so exciting!

Where are your great places to shop in Paris?

Hmmm, this could take a while.
The food section of Le Bon Marche department store because they sell delicious things from all over the world including baking soda and it gives me a perfect excuse to go upstairs and sniff the Dyptique candles or try out the Vitra Eames chairs afterwards.
I love going to HEMA, a Dutch chain that recently opened its first shop in Paris. It’s kind of like a mini Ikea but with craft supplies thrown in.
For home decor, I wait for the hundreds of flea markets that happen every weekend in the spring and summer months. They vary in size and quality but are definitely worth a try. These are some of last year’s finds from all over Paris:

Thank you so much Caroline for showing us around your city.
I think I love Paris even more now.
I'm sure you will enjoy living in Yorkshire although it'll be a bit nippy on those moorlands of Bronte country!

Please do go check out Caroline's lovely blog, Bunnies and Stripes where she will be updating us on her move to the UK. She has written a beautiful post of her visit to West Yorkshire, taking in Saltaire, Hebden Bridge and Howarth where she has already found some vintage stores to peruse and no doubt stock up on more treasures.
I'm looking forward to catching up with her for a nice cuppa and a chat.

(Caroline took all these images herself a couple of months ago and that's why some of them have snow! I'm so very late in posting this and so a huge thanks to Caroline for taking the time to write this and then having to wait so patiently for me getting around to putting it on the blog. x)

I love Paris in the springtime

2013-05-13T10:48:00.001+01:00

I love Paris in the springtime by jenlittlebirdie featuring bow flats

Hello!
A very happy Monday to you all.
Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes for my boy.
He's gone off to school in a very jolly mood and is looking forward to a visit to the local ice cream maker later.

I'm trying to catch up with all my blog posts as I only have one day off now to do them.
Tomorrow I'm going to show you the wonderful city of Paris through the eyes of one my lovely blogging friends.
Many years ago I had the great pleasure of working in this most beautiful city and I was enchanted by it.
Today I'm going to dream of my own return trip to Paris in Springtime.
And these are a few of my favourite things to help me along. x

(Pop over to my Polyvore page by clicking the link above if you want to find out where anything is from).

Birthday Boy

2013-05-12T16:45:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow my son is 10 years old.
How the heck did that happen?
The time has just disappeared.
Very soon this boy will be taller than me.
He's changing so fast now that it's kind of scary.
He's quiet, shy and gentle.
A real bookworm and a bit of a science geek (like my husband).
And he's one of the kindest people I know.
I can't imagine my life without this little man.

For his birthday he wanted a Tablet as he's gadget mad.
He'd requested a chocolate cake, covered in fudge icing and then decorated with lots of chocolate buttons.
So we all sat down to tea this afternoon to celebrate.

Sadly he's at school tomorrow (he thinks this isn't fair, everyone should get the day off on their birthday!), but we're going out for ice cream after.
And then for his Birthday dinner he's asked for a takeaway.
Simple pleasures.

Happy Birthday. Love you always.

(Triangle paper plates and cups are from one of my favourite online stores for kids - Molly-Meg. Vegesaurus card by Lisa Jones Studio. Every year I get him a card from Lisa's creature collection. We love them!)

52 Weeks of Happy (32/52)

2013-05-11T17:48:00.000+01:00

Hello!
How are you all this week?
I'm shattered. I've worked everyday including today.
I can't keep up with everything I have to do.
And it's the Boy's birthday on Monday so there are a lot of extra things to organize.
I need a holiday but it's going to be quite some time before I get one!
Anyway, here are this week's happy things:

▲ The first bunches of asparagus from the Market Garden for tea. Whoop! It was asparagus and pea risotto for tea last night with a big ol' glass of white wine. Seriously, nothing beats this for sheer pleasure.

▲ The cherry blossom tree at the bottom of the garden is in full bloom. I love it so much. We look out of our french windows at this and it's funny how 'pink' our room becomes when this is in blossom. The light in the garden is so different too, I'll be so sad when the blossom falls.

▲ Dreaming about a night under canvas. I really need to get out in my tent. I long to go to build a campfire, stargaze and wake up to bird song. It's making me happy just thinking about it.

▲ And finally, this is my 500th post! I'm kind of astonished that I've written so many. But I'm happy that I have! Thanks for reading and leaving comments, I hugely appreciate it. x

(First image is of a yellow birthday garland by paperklip design. You can see it here. I only wish I'd discovered it earlier as I'd have loved one of these for the Boy's birthday).

Loving These

2013-05-09T17:45:00.002+01:00

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Hello!

Hope you are having a great week.

It's been a bit cold, wet and very windy here today, so it's not been great at the Market Garden.

I'm tired and muddy and in need of a long hot soak in the tub.

Sadly, this is not going to happen as I have tea to make, homework to help with and cleaning to do!

Anyway, to cheer myself up and maybe one or two of you, here are my favourite pins from the past week.

If you want to see some more gorgeous interiors and pretty things, then please check out the rest of my pins here.

I'll be back soon.

Jen x

May wishlist

2013-05-07T09:37:00.001+01:00

May wishlist by jenlittlebirdie featuring a chambray shirt

Morning!

Just a few of my favourite things for May today.

I sense a bit of a greeny blue theme this month.

And springtime always brings out the tea drinker in me (I never drink it at any other time of year, no idea why!).

So I'm currently sipping some new blends and dreaming of cool vintage teapots.

Have a lovely day, I'm off to work now. x

Bluebells, guerilla gardening and a picnic

2013-05-06T17:02:00.001+01:00

Hello!
Happy Bank Holiday Monday.
Gosh but it's been the most glorious of days here in Leeds,
Today was always going to be a family day for us, and a much needed one at that.
A time to play. A time to smile again.
Grief is a strange thing. Sometimes it makes you cry and at other times laugh.
We're slowly coming to terms with our loss, but it isn't easy.
One thing that I wanted to do in honour of my father in law was create a little woodland flower patch in a secluded area that meant something to him and to us.
So I bought some Kabloom seed bombs to hopefully turn into a beautiful nook beside a pond.
A place to contemplate and remember. And a place for butterflies and bees to feast upon.
We threw our floral grenade and are keeping our fingers crossed that when we return we'll have had some success!

We also enjoyed a picnic in the park with a stuffed Italian bread made with roasted veg, spinach, mozzarella and basil. We lay around in the sun drinking (alcoholic) ginger beer and played in the park.
And it was beautiful to see the first flourishes of springtime bluebells too.
We've had a pretty perfect afternoon together.
Sadly, it's all back to work and school tomorrow - boo!
I hope you've all enjoyed your bank holiday too. x

Lovely Spaces

2013-05-05T18:19:00.001+01:00

Sometimes you stumble across something you've seen before and forgotten all about.
An absolute gem that just makes you smile and get so much inspiration from.
This is one of those times - this utterly gorgeous summer house was featured here back in 2010.
Somehow through random Pin searches this popped up and I had a flashback to seeing it on Kerry's blog away back when!
Well I just had to show it again as it's possibly one of my favourite homes ever.
So much colour and pattern. And all those vintage pieces. Sigh.
Perfect for summer living. x

52 Weeks of Happy (31/52)

2013-05-05T14:43:00.001+01:00

Hello.
Hope you are having a wonderful bank holiday weekend (if you are in the UK).
It's been a very busy time in the Birdie household.
We had the funeral for my father in law on Tuesday and it was a sad day, but his send off was everything he would have wanted and more.
I'm also working extra days at the Market Garden for springtime sowing, planting and harvesting.
So days off are a bit of a catch up with housework and cooking etc.
But at last Spring has finally appeared and there is some sunshine and the promise of better things to come.

Here are this week's happy things:

▲ The sheer beauty and colour of the cherry tree at the bottom of our garden. Today it opened it's first few blossoms of pink. By tomorrow the entire tree could be in bloom. It's so wonderful to open the curtains in the morning and stare out at this gorgeous tree.

▲ Planting my dahlia bulbs. I've never grown these before but I'm excited to try this pompon variety. Hopefully these will be stunning in the front garden.

▲ The magnolia and my rhododendron are both flowering and the colours are quite spectacular.

▲ And of course the fact that we have an extra day off from school and work this weekend. Time to spend together as a family. I love it.

Have a very happy week. x

Urban Gardening - The Pothole Gardener

2013-05-01T20:07:00.005+01:00

Hello!

I've been meaning to do a post on this for a while as I just think it's astonishing!

And it makes me very, very happy.

You can't help but have a big smile on your face when you see these.

They are the work of the Pothole Gardener aka Steve Wheen.

If you've ever driven over one of those blasted potholes and cursed, then this will make you see them in a whole different way.

Check out the video below to see how he works and creates these stunning little works of art in the middle of the city.

ps I've decided to do a semi-regular series about Urban Gardening. It's a passion of mine, and I feel that it's absolutely vital to help wildlife and pollinators as much as we can. So I'll be featuring some of my favourite plants and gardens and hopefully it will inspire us all to do a little more in our own gardens. x

(pictures are from pinterest)

Loving These

2013-04-30T08:31:00.000+01:00

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Hello.

A very happy sunny Tuesday to you.

Here are my favourite Pins of the week.

>> The workspace I have always dreamed of. String shelving and vintage details. Love.

>> An amazing kitchen to cook in. Stuffed full of pots and pans. And what a colour.

>> Those Ikea shelves with so much colour. I've been swithering over buying these, but seeing this made my decision as they look stunning.

>> A fantastic colourful kids space. That's such a great room to grow up in.

>> Finally, that terrific neon pink heart print. I'm liking that a lot.

You can check out my other Pins here. x

Orla Kiely Melamine

2013-04-29T20:28:00.000+01:00

Orla Kiely melamine by jenlittlebirdie on Polyvore

Oh My.

How about these for picnics and camping?

Perfection.

Orla Kiely Melamine.

I love it and I want it all! x

Black and White wishlist

2013-04-29T11:17:00.000+01:00

Black and White wishlist by jenlittlebirdie on Polyvore

Hello!

Hope you are all well.

Monday is my only weekday off now so I'm doing a couple of posts today whilst I have the chance!

I've been playing about on Polyvore again and this time I've compiled a black and white wishlist.

Although I've also injected some colour by the way of that gorgeous Blanca Gomez print in the middle.

I love that orange shining bright amongst the dark.

Have a great day. x

Lovely Spaces

2013-04-29T10:23:00.000+01:00

I've really fallen for this space.
It's pale floors and wooden furniture allow the artwork and the textiles to shine.
It's everything I wish my home could look like and more.
Great lighting, Marimekko dishes and so many stunning cushions.
It's simple yet stuffed full of love and personality.
A dream home.
See more here.

Weekending (via Instagram)

2013-04-28T19:18:00.000+01:00

Hello!
How the heck are you all?
My family and I want to thank everyone who has commented and emailed with all their good wishes for the things that have been happening recently. We have been very touched by such kindness.

So how was your weekend? Busy or chilled out? I'm now working every Saturday as we have so much to do at this time of year. The Market Garden was busy with customers but there was also time to sow some sweetcorn and pot on our courgette plants. They are looking pretty good already. I can't wait to start cooking and eating some Spring and Summer vegetables. The asparagus season is nearly upon us, although it is late this year with the never ending cold weather that we've had. I long to eat some!

So we really only get Sundays together as a family and I think it's important that we make good use of this time. Today we made a little trip down to Kirkstall Abbey for the craft/food market. We meandered through the woodland path enjoying the first few wild flowers (and weeds). But it was bloomin' chilly! We sat amongst the ruins and enjoyed our salted caramel brownies - they were absolutely amazing. And we also bought some locally made cider.

The husband has been very busy cooking all weekend too. He got the Two Greedy Italians book from the library, so we've been eating the most amazing dishes. Tonight it's Aubergine Dumplings.

Jen x

52 Weeks of Happy (30/52)

2013-04-27T15:52:00.000+01:00

I've struggled yet again this week to find my happy place.
What with funeral plans and the cat being poorly again, I'm just mentally exhausted.

And then on Thursday there was a horrible accident at the Market Garden when our baby dog got run over. We all thought she was a goner as she had gone under the wheels of a truck, but somehow that little beauty survived to tell the tale - so from tragedy came relief and utter joy. Even more incredible was the fact that she's back at work on the land. They breed them tough those Springer Spaniels!

So here she is, the best little dog in the world. This picture was taken just an hour ago - I said 'sit' so she lay down on her back! My heart would have been shattered if we'd lost her. She follows me around the garden, always willing to give me a cuddle and makes me so happy that words can not explain it. So I haven't got four happy things this week, I just have one huge one - the delight of this little girl in my life. x

Pasta Please - Chilli

2013-04-26T19:33:00.000+01:00

Phew, just made it for this month's Pasta Please!
I missed posting last month due to everything going on here, but I really wanted to contribute to this one as the theme is Chilli and is being hosted by the amazing vegetarian blog Allotment 2 Kitchen.
Just recently we've been loving eating fennel in our house. Slowly roasting it in the oven with the fronds on, it caramelizes and sits perfectly with other roasted veg like peppers and cherry tomatoes.

Added to the roasted vegetables are fine strips of chilli which give this pasta a lovely kick. Although it's important to make sure you get a mild/medium chilli rather than a really hot one. This dish is quick to prepare and very light, so perfect for those spring and summer evenings. We use the gorgeous lemon oil from Carluccios to dress this pasta - it just takes it to another level of deliciousness, but you can use balsamic vinegar as an alternative.

Roasted Fennel, Chilli and Peppers with spaghetti

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 fennel bulb, cut into thin slices
1 red chilli, deseeded and cut into strips
Olive oil
handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of basil
100g of feta cheese, cubed
160g spaghetti
Lemon oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put peppers, chilli and the fennel in a bowl. Toss to coat with the olive oil. Season well. Transfer into a roasting dish and then put into the oven. After 30 mins, take it out and stir. Then add the tomatoes. Roast for another 30 mins. Meanwhile cook the pasta. Just before the pasta is done, take the vegetables out of the oven and add the feta. Stir it around. Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the vegetables and cheese to the pasta and mix. Add the lemon oil to taste. Dish into pasta bowls and top with some basil.

Pasta perfection. Serve with wine.

Enjoy your weekend. x

Lovely Spaces

2013-04-23T10:44:00.000+01:00

Well there is just so much to like in this beautiful home.
I think I have shelf envy - is that a thing?
Because this space has quite a lot of shelving and they are stuffed full of nice things.
I love having my books out in my living room - especially those ones that you hold dear.
That hand-me-down recipe book, the gardening book I got as a leaving present and many favourite fictional novels that I've accumulated over the years.
And this homeowner seems to feel the same way.
I'm also really loving those kitchen shelves - so many wonderful coloured dishes and mugs.
I'd be a very happy lady if that were my place to cook in.
But I'm especially charmed by that little nook in the kitchen.
Such a great spot to share breakfast with your family.

Pictures from here.

Loving These

2013-04-22T10:10:00.002+01:00

Hello!
A very happy Monday to you all and so many thanks for all your comments on yesterday's post. You are all so very kind.

I'm keeping myself busy gardening over the next couple of days, hey, it is supposed to be Spring! But I thought I'd pop in and show you my vintage inspiration board over at Pinterest. It's chock full of furniture, ceramics, lighting and of course pattern. I love it as it's so bright and cheerful. I do hope you like it too and it gives you all a much needed Monday boost. x

52 Weeks of Happy (29/52)

2013-04-21T15:05:00.000+01:00

Hello.
It's been a very hard, tiring, stressful week in the Birdie household.
My husband lost his Dad. My son his Grandad.
We are sadly, slowly coming to terms with this.
But it will be a long time before life gets back to any kind of normal.

52 Weeks of Happy has been difficult to do again this week for all these reasons above.
But one very generous inherited piece has helped us to unite and comfort each other - Grandad's binoculars.
Passed down to the Boy, we found ourselves so eager to get down to our local nature reserve and just observe our local wildlife.
Although there wasn't lots to see, there were signs of Spring blossom, birds singing, bees foraging and the promise in the air of wonderful things to come.
It was exactly what we needed.

So these are my four happy things for this week:

▲ Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Cake. I'd seen someone cooking roasted strawberries on Masterchef and was intrigued. So after doing a quick internet search I discovered this recipe. It's so very yummy but needs a lot more strawberries added to it than what the recipe states as the strawberries are absolutely out of this world.

▲ The elegant beauty of the dried flowers at the nature reserve. I don't know what these are called - do you?

▲ The Boy enjoying his time in the Hide. Watching the geese, swans, coots and moorhens. Hoping for a glimpse of the grey heron but sadly it didn't show itself today.

▲ Spring blossom. Enough said.

Have a happy week. x

A slice of Toast

2013-04-17T16:59:00.001+01:00

A slice of Toast by jenlittlebirdie featuring slim fit t shirts

Hello!

The new Toast catalogue awaited me when I came home from work.

It's a pretty dangerous thing for me to get hold of!

There are some gorgeous things this season.

And these are my absolute favourites.

How amazing is that french cooking pot? Stunning.

And fuchsia Saltwaters! Oh my.

Now if only I had some cash........ x

See more here.