Strawberry Delights

 

 

In tarts and jams, tossed through a fruit salad, served Wimbledon-style with whipped cream, or simply heaped into a big bowl for a sweet, healthy treat, the versatile strawberry is as delightful 'au natural' as it is when used in cooking and baking. This pretty, glossy fruit makes for the perfect garnish for cakes, desserts and cheese platters. Best enjoyed in spring and summer when they're in season.

Melissah xox

Images via Canelle et Vanille

Winter Comforts

 

It's cold outside, the trees are bare and you can't leave the house without a pair of gloves. It's the time of year that I love coming in from the cold to a warm, comforting meal or a hot drink and a batch of freshly baked cookies. I'm secretly pleased when the first of winter's chilly nights kick in so I can dig up my old cookbooks and cook up one of winter's hearty dishes to warm the hands and the heart! I can't get past pumpkin soap and butterscotch pudding Winter brings with it luxurious treats like pashminas, which I think look great in every colour, cashmere knits and coats with fur trim.

Melissah xox

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Lazy Daze

Some days it's just nice to not do anything. I love nothing more than relaxing at home with cups of tea in bed, piles of good mags, fresh flowers in the house and the sun streaming in through the windows. These are my simple luxuries in life - a weekend without chores and plenty of 'me' time. I could easily spend the whole day lazing around in my Calvin Klein lounge pants curled up in a comfy chair getting lost in a good book. If I am feeling very adventurous, then I may even have afternoon tea at a local cafe where they make the best homemade carrot cake!

Melissah xox

Images via 1-4

Country Style

 

Autumn is the season for layering up and keeping warm as cooler, crisper days set in. Think chunky knits, cashmere jackets, English tweeds, tartan and plaids, ribbed tights and knitted scarves. The palette is more subdued in earthy tones like chocolate, mushroom, grey, and indigo and colours like mulberry, plum, pumpkin and burnt red add a splash of colour and make perfect accents The 'must-have' accessory for the season is the hat. Berets and beanies, cloches and caps, trilbies and dedoras - hats in every size, shape and style are the ultimate topper this season.

Melissah xox

 Credits

Springtime Prettiness

Springtime is filled with prettiness and golden light. There's no better time for an afternoon garden party. At the fist sign of sun move a table into the garden, set it with a white linen cloth and your daintiest finery. Pick flowers from the garden and set out a light lunch or an afternoon tea. Pile the table with home baked treats and serve them up with fruity drink to match or a glass of bubbly! When the party is all over let the children play barefoot in the grass while your curl up with a good book and relax for the rest of the afternoon!

Melissah xox

Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Pack A Picnic

One of my favourite things about summer is packing a picnic rug and a picnic basket full of home baked goodies and heading off to one of our favourite picnic spots. This may be a picnic ground in a National Park, on a grassy bank down by the river, under a shady tree in the backyard or on a picnic table down a country lane.

Melissah xox

Images via 1 2, 3, 4, 5, 6