Blousy Blooms and Something Sweet

Cooking food straight from the ground is something that significantly marks out the Summer months for me. It starts here in this, my favourite month of May. Flowers too are one of my favourite and prettiest pointers to the seasons and no other bloom bellows Summer than the blousy and beautiful Peony.

So, when The Eloise arrived from Bloom & Wild Flower Delivery yesterday I knew straight away that I wanted to share it with you as part of my #stylingtheseasons post for this month. Along with a little something sweet for you to try.

Just like all other Bloom & Wild bunches I've received, The Eloise has not dissapointed. Pulling the protective netting away from the carefully wrapped buds, was like watching a flower bloom in slow motion. The buds have since started to open up and as the petals have loosened have revealed a citris yellow inside which matches the foliage so beautifully. The Peony season is such a short one, so I'll be enjoying these beauties until that moment when a sudden nudge sees all the petals fall in one go. 

Seasonal living and revisiting traditions as the months pass is something, that as a family, we cherish. Some of my highlights from last year were moments when we sat down to the simplest of lunches (Broad Bean, Feta and Pea salad), picked just hours before. Every year since before Wilf was born we've picked and made Elderflower cordial and enjoyed drinking it for as long as it lasts. When he was just a few weeks old I remember a light, evening dog walk, making our way across fields to pick the flowers whilst our tiny babe slept on Sam's chest. That particular year my parents kindly offered to do the making as they were around to help out a bit, "you pick, we'll make" they said, sounded good to me.

We're busy down on the allotment at the moment but the only thing ready to harvest is rhubarb, and lots of it! Determined not to get overwhelmed by gluts of fruit this year, and in attempt to turn as much of the pink stuff into something as quickly as possible, this week I turned my attention to cordial.

I must confess that this recipe is not my own, perhaps I'll have a go at some plot recipes later this season, but for this I plucked the simplest I could find from a quick google search. Consider this more of a recipe review then if you will.

You can find the recipe via the RHS site here, but for ease, I've noted it for you below.

Ingredients:

3kg chopped rhubarb
150ml water
Lemons
Caster sugar

Method:

Slowly cook the rhubarb with the water, in a large pan, until it is soft and mushy. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes or so. 

Strain the fruit through a muslin bag (jelly bag) into a pan, avoiding squeezing the bag as this will cloud the juice. I left mine to strain over night and was surprised at how much came through even though it was only dripping slowly when I went to bed. 

For every litre of juice you have, add 750g sugar and 75ml lemon juice. Heat until just below boiling point to dissolve the sugar, then bottle into sterilised bottles.

This can be diluted to enjoy with cold water, the kids have been LOVING it although it's super sweet so they're on rations! However, I'm most excited about trying it in something a little stronger and a lot more bubbly. This bottle (a gift) and another much larger one will be packed into a basket today and is coming with me to The SISTERHOOD Camp (see @sisterhoodcamp on Instagram for more). Where it will be poured into tall glasses, shared and enjoyed with new friends around a campfire. I can't wait!

Do you have any seasonal recipes or favourite flowers for May? Do share them below, I'd love to hear from you and let me know if you give this recipe a go too!

Wishing you a lovely weekend. x

Thank you to Bloom & Wild Flower Delivery who kindly gifted The Eloise. You can find their full range of #letterboxflowers here.   

Forget-Me-Not

A year ago tomorrow, my family lost a very special person, my darling Gran. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her.

In the days before she died I spent time with her in her care home, sitting quietly, holding hands and just occassionally speaking. I remember commenting about the pretty flowers on her nightdress, Forget-Me-Nots.  The following day I picked a few sprigs from our garden and placed the little posy beside her bed for her to enjoy.

I'm sure this delicate flower that pops up everywhere at this time of year, to cheer it's surroundings, will always remind me of her.

Cutting flowers like this and making posies to dot around our home is something I enjoy doing from this month, right up until the last of the Dhalias bloom in early Autumn.

I find little bottles and bud vases that will hold the tiniest of stems, bringing with them pops of colour from the garden.

Sometimes the vases hold a whole host of colours, especially when the clashing colours of Sweet Peas are brought in. Other times, like this scene suggests, one colour will take centre stage.

I picked up this antique hot water bottle and old pot at the start of this month. I expect the hot water bottle will become a doorstop at some point, but for now it's sat in our hallway, along with other gathered finds.

I'm looking forward to seeing what other colours our garden will provide us with this Summer.  For now though, Forget-Me-Nots, I shall treasure you.

March Discoveries

Back in August, I started a new series on this blog designed to share little discoveries that I happen on throughout any given month. You can read the imaginatively names 'August Discoveries' post here.

Despite there being plenty of little finds, delights and discoveries, the series of posts lasted all of two months. But today, you'll be pleased to here, I'm dusting it off and reviving it! I thought I'd combine it today with my 'Styling The Seasons' post for March. 

So, without further ado, he's are few things I've found and loved this month.

~

Lovely Liberty

As some of you might know, March is a birthday month in our household. When I spotted the stunning new range of Liberty party wear by Meri Meri , I knew I wanted to use as much of it as possible for Anwen's party. Almost 2 weeks later and some of it remains in place, it's just too pretty to pack away! 

~

Ranunculus 

This has got to be one of my absolute favourite Spring flowers. Each layer looks like a single piece of tissue paper, perfectly wrapped into a little ball. I've not been able to resist them at our local grocers, even when some of the delicate stems have been battered and bruised and the leaves look scruffy and ragged. 

~ 

Make Believe

The little star wand in this pot is a reminder of all the fun we've had playing make believe this month. Wilf is now at a stage where made up shows and characters are the game of choice, naturally Anwen is happy to fall in line too! We've had a few dressing up parties this month too which have been a lot of fun to prepare for (read, quickly raid the fabric drawer!) Wilf has already requested a super hero party for his birthday so I'm sure the dressing up box will be added to in the months ahead.

~ 

Painting

We've had fun with some water colours this month and this glass jar has been slowly filled with paint brushes, at the ready for whenever we need some calm creative fun. The calm doesn't last long obviously, as it doesn't take long for Anwen to start licking the brushes and for squabbles over the water pot to commence. 
 The grey ink pot is something I picked up from a shop called Meticulous Ink which I stumbled upon on our weekend in Bath a few weeks ago. Let's just call it a 'something I'd like to have done this month'. I've got plans for some new prints for the shop, so am hoping to find some time to crack it open in April.

We have a fun month ahead of us, starting with a night away with friends this weekend and topped off with a break in Norfolk and a wedding at the end. Roll on April, I'm looking forward to whatever
you have to offer. 

Thanks for stopping by, keep your eyes open for the 'April Edit' over the weekend, where I'll be featuring my top shop picks for the new month.

Golden Bunnies and Glass Eggs

I love decorating throughout the year, tinkering with shelves and moving things around depending on the season. The arrival of Spring gives me a chance to bring colour into the house again, with spring flowers a plenty, how can you resist daffodils when they're 30p a bunch?!

Easter is an important celebration for us as a family. It's meaning is central to our Christian faith and, whilst I'm all about the chocolate eggs and bunnies, decorating the house and celebrating over the long weekend will have special significance for us.

Our new tradition to decorate an Easter tree has taken a slightly paired back stance (so far) this year. I decided to use some Eucalyptus branches, which I bought last week, and I'm so pleased with the result.

I hung these glass decorations which I bought for a couple of pounds in Tiger a few weeks ago. The delicate glass eggs compliment the eucalyptus really well, much more than the chunky felt bunnies and eggs I dug out the loft would have! Although I'm sure they'll also be hanging from somewhere in due course this week.

Another subtle touch I'm pleased with is this golden bunny, added to an enamel vase that I bought (from House By Betty) recently. The bunny is part of a set of Easter Stickers (which you can find in the shop here), I can only guess how many more will be making an appearance around the place before Sunday!

These pastel pinwheels are also adding a lovely seasonal touch to the house. I hung them in the kitchen this week for Anwen's birthday but they'll be left to cheer the breakfast area for a while yet.

The pinwheels come as a pack of 6, with 3 different colours and sizes, if you fancy snapping up a pack you can find them here.

These sticks and signposts will be put to use at our annual Easter egg hunt but for now they're adding a fun touch to some pottery on the hall shelf. If you have an egg hunt planned this weekend then check out the Egg Hunt Kit here, it includes everything you'll need to help little ones search for chocolate this weekend!

Of course decorating would not be complete without seasonal flowers and this bunch called 'The Chloe' from Bloom & Wild is spot on. The scented stock is so delicate and, for me, the perfect shade of pastel for this time of year. 

Over this weekend I held a little 'Easter Giveaway' on Instagram. I was absolutely staggered by the number of entries so as a little thank you am offering FREE P&P all day today. So if you fancy snapping up any of the items I've featured above, just pop in 'easteratlittlemaldod' at the checkout.

I'd love to know how you decorate your home for Easter, I'm always looking for new ideas. Do leave a comment below and say hi!

Have a great week.
Lowri x

Anwen Turns Two ~ A Pretty Party And Some Time Saving Tips

Our beautiful, feisty, adventurous daughter turns two today.

Getting to know her personality over the last two years has been such a joy (and a challenge in recent times!) Her strength of character and sunny personality constantly leaves Sam and I smirking at each other, trying not to laugh, whenever we attempt to tell her off about something.

Yesterday we held a party for her to celebrate. It was the usual sort of party that we hold for the kids - at home, with their best friends, garden fun and plenty of cake. I'm not sure there's anything else someone at their age needs....or any age for that matter.

At the start of the day I had my usual MASSIVE list of things I wanted to get done/ bake/ decorate and, whilst buzzing around on caffeine, mostly managed to tick everything off. Thanks to some lovely partywear from Meri Meri I was able to pull off a lovely Liberty theme, with their distinctive florals adorning the decor, cake and party bags.

Some of the items are things I stock in the little maldod shop (direct links are listed below) and all day TODAY you can enjoy 20% off the whole 'party' range, (with the code 'letsparty' until midnight 16th March). Other items were directly from Meri Meri and you can find direct links to their shop below too.

 The Decorations

These Liberty Betsy Pinwheels added an easy but effective touch to different parts of the house, from my favourite shelf in the hallway to the mantle piece. The Miniature Liberty Flags looked great above the mantle too and will be staying up long after celebrations are over.

The Games 

No new tricks here, we stuck to classics - pass the parcel and musical statues. Check out the concentration on Wilf's face, he takes after me in the competitive (Monica Geller) game stakes. Meanwhile his younger sister remained restless until I stopped the music on her, giving her a long awaited "choc choc" (Milkway).

The Cake

Obviously I had grand plans for a masterpiece 'naked' cake or one that was perfectly iced to within an inch of it's life. My slightly uncooked sponge (which went back in the oven on the rack to finish off) didn't quite cut the Mary Berry mustard. Cue time saving tip number 1 - Nutella.  Nobody can argue with a freshly baked cake and lashing of hazelnut spread can they?! I reminded myself whilst licking the spoon that, to little ones at least, cake is cake and when one of them laughed at the fancy pink Gerbera on top, all was confirmed.

The Liberty Cake Flags added the perfect finishing touch and will definitely be reused for future celebrations. 

The Party Bags

Again, in my grand plans for the party, I'd imagined stringing these Gerberas from ribbon and giving one to each guest along with their party bag. Cue, money saving tip number 2, accept that some ideas are nice in theory but totally unrealistic and unnecessary when your guests are due to arrive in 5 minutes. In actual fact, they looked just as nice in a tall vase by the fire (not sure what's going on with the random up ended log!) 

I was pleasantly surprised by a quick upcycle of a left over white storage sack I had in my stock cupboard. With a few Liberty Alphabet Stickers I turned it into the perfect place to keep any gifts that were kindly brought by guests. I can see 'personalised birthday sacks' becoming a new family tradition and maybe even a new product for the shop.

How lovely as these mini Liberty Crackers and  Betsy Party Hats! The crowns went down a treat but in all the chaos I didn't get a chance for any photos anyone wearing them. A few were left behind so no doubt we'll be sporting them at some point today.

This week when thinking about party bags, I turned to the wonderful Instagram community for some tips. I was determined not to fill the bags with little bits of plastic or yet more bottles of bubbles, so wanted a few tried and tested ideas that were just a bit different. I was amazed at the brilliant and creative suggestions that people had and gladly used a few to fill some Besty Treat Bags.

A trip to Tiger left me with a great stash of goodies including packets of seeds, birthday sunnies and some wooden beads which I used for mini bracelets. I picked up a couple of packs of Easter cookie cutters in a pound shop and popped them into a spotty treat bag. Finished off with a bit of chocolate (obviously) and a number 2 shaped iced biscuit, just in case they didn't get enough sugar AT the party. All in all, the contents cost just over a pound (don't tell the guests!)

Here's the birthday girl commanding the buffet table (ahem, bowls of fruit, pom bears and party rings). Whilst her friends took their plates into the lounge for a carpet picnic, she stood there grazing, shouting "GUYS" after people as they headed out of the kitchen. I don't think she minded being left to her own devices, with all the cake to herself!

Anwen, you are a delight to spend time with, an absolute gift to our family and an honor to Mother. You bring life to any room you're in and I can't wait to see what the next two years have in store for you. 

Happy Birthday Pops! X

Thank you to Meri Meri who kindly sent us a few items from their lovely Liberty range to help us celebrate. 

A weekend on Allotment 2B

This weekend, thanks to the amazing Spring weather, we had two family trips down to the allotment. One good, one not so good.

Yesterday (Saturday) we loaded the car up - kids, dog, scooters, flasks, cookies, wetwipes, wellies all got thrown in, not the kids (or dog). We had some jobs we wanted to get done ready for some sowing we've got planned in the next few weeks.

We all got down to our own jobs, mine was digging over the beds (the most satisfying outdoor work out there is), Anwen's was scooter practice (there's no stopping her now) and Sam and Wilf set about filling their barrows with bark chippings to spread over the fruit cage. It was on a return trip to the mound of chippings that the unfortunate barrow incident occured. Sitting in it was good fun until Wilf tipped out sideways and landed his head on the corner of a concrete breeze block. Queue wetwipes (lots of them), cuddles and the cookies.

I'm pleased to report that we (narrowly) avoided a trip to A&E and that the prospect of his best friend's birthday party later that afternoon kept his spirits up. The accident obviously hadn't scared him off allotment life all together as a return trip was the first thing he talked about this morning. "No more sitting in the wheelbarrow, but it's OK if I have my helmet on" were the first words I heard today.

So this afternoon, we headed back and quickly resumed our roles, enjoying the last of the weekend's sun and an all round happier hour.

When we look back on last year some of our favourite times were spent down on plot 2b. Last Spring Anwen took some of her first steps there and I found solitude during a difficult time (I wrote about both of these times here). We enjoyed a fish chip date night there and in the Summer ate peas straight from the pod and welcomed Wilf's nursery class down to pick berries.

This week we've had a few trips down and enjoyed an impromptu picnic before nursery on Thursday.

It's somewhere I know we'll build life long memories with the kids, hopefully teaching them a thing or two about gardening and 'growing your own' along the way.

I'm planning to write a monthly post on here as I want to keep a written journal over the gardening year. Right now it's looking pretty bare but the ground is nearly dug over and ready to rake. We have potatoes chitting and the broad bean seedlings are doing well. Sam is the boss of the plot really so I'll rely on him to fill in bits along the way.

If you fancy following along our journey more regularly you can follow @allotment2b on Instagram. It's mainly Sam who posts (interesting and informative updates) but he's now given me access to post too (they'll be the pretty flower ones come Summer!)

He has the day off tomorrow so we're hoping for sunshine and will be back down there. Sorting the shed out with some bunting and checking on first aid supplies will be the top of my to-do list. Helping Daddy dig and finding holes to put worms in will be Wilf's.

Anwen will be scooting.

Styling The Seasons - February

A little burst of colour for you on this BONUS February day.

I thought it was better late than never to share my Styling The Seasons post for the month a and bit of what February means to me.

For me, this month marks a lovely shift from the depths of winter to the wonderful (and probably my favourite) season of Spring. Nothing marks this shift like the arrival of Spring blooms. Not necessarily in the garden, although daffodils and crocuses are sprouting everywhere by now, but in florist windows and by supermarket doors.

This picture of these beautiful Anemones is completely untouched. Just look at the piercing bold pink! I love it's contrast against the wood 'basket', still an essential on our hearth during this chilly month.

Of course this month celebrates love. We agreed to just give cards this year (Sam's idea not mine). It makes me smile everytime I open a card from him as it's always familiar (taken straight from the card draw that I put together!) I couldn't help but appreciate that they match and that mine got the last word!

As usual, we both ended up giving a little token to each other (have I mentioned my love language is gifts?!) I had chocolate which didn't stick around long and Sam's gift was the matches you can see top right. Perfect for a fire obsessed husband.

Suffice to say this little scene has been altered since styling it for this post. Flowers don't appreciate two things 1. being held by exquisite (but heavy handed) small hands and 2. being roasted by the fire! Can't say I mind either of those things mind.

Thanks for reading today, here's to happy Spring days as March awaits.

Lowri x

Countdown to Christmas

Anyone else counting down the sleeps? I know am! Mainly because I'm asked every morning (afternoon, evening) to count on my fingers how many sleeps it is.

I am SUPER excited to be launching a special little maldod Christmas countdown today (the 12th of the 12th), to share the excitement, help with any last minute shopping and sprinkle a little festive fun along the way.

Each day for the next 12 days on social media I will be sharing a different special offer, free gift or giveaway. Starting today!

To kick things off for day 1 you can enjoy ONE WEEKEND OF FREE DELIVERY! Yes, that's free delivery on ALL orders all weekend when you use the code 'LITTLECOUNTDOWN1'. Pop over to the shop here to put it to good use.

If you signed up to our newsletter you'll have received details of this in your inbox today along with an exclusive 'first newsletter' discount code. If you haven't already signed up, you can do so here to make sure you don't miss out on future special offers and news.

Have a wonderful festive weekend all.

Lowri x

Refuge - An Important Christmas Story

On Saturday, whilst away with friends, I stood in an independent bookshop with the following book in my hands and goosebumps on my arms.

The cover of the book, a clear nativity scene but with an unusual title, caught my eye from outside the window. By the third page I was drawn in to the most beautifully told, human depiction of a very well known story.

It tells the nativity story from the perspective of the donkey, focusing on the plight of a refugee couple who, with their newborn baby, depend on the kindness of strangers in a foreign land.

Touchingly written and absolutely relevant to the story of today, I knew straight away I was going to buy it and mentally ticked off another three names on my Christmas list. With £5 from each book going to War Child, a charity supporting children affected by the horrors of war, there was even more of a reason to buy it.

As a Christian, the nativity story is central to how we, as a family, celebrate Christmas. Although it still makes me smile everytime my three year old asks "when is it going to be Father Christmas Day?"... on a daily basis. I know that this book will become a treasured read but also know that it will help to explain some more present issues to my questioning son. Questions such as "why we are sending teddies to children who don't have any? "Why have they had to leave their homes?" and "why are Penny and Pip (our Kindess Elves) here to teach us to be kind?"

I realised that this book is an important read not just for those that hold the nativity story close to their hearts but for anyone, young or old.  So I set about contacting the publishers, Nosy Crow, and by Tuesday had placed an order for as many books as they could spare (their warehouse was completely sold out!)

All 20 copies are now available in the little maldod shop. Due to the nature of the book I've decided to offer free delivery and as a result won't be making any profit on it at all. It somehow seemed wrong and I felt it was more important to me that people buy and read it. You can find it in the shop here.

If you're interested in reading the fascinating account of how the book came to publication, in an astonishingly short space of time, you can find an account on Nosy Crow's blog here.

I really can't recommend this book enough and feel priviledged to be able to send it off to people's homes this Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by.
Lowri x

Falling Leaves and Friendship Bracelets

Well, it's finally here! The twinkliest, most magical month of the year. I love December! As I type this in my living room, I am surrounded by boxes of Christmas decorations, broken fairy light strings (how do they stop working tucked up in a box in the attic?!) and festive treasures I'd forgotten about.

As much as I love December I have equally adored the season we have just left behind. Autumn seemed extra beautiful this year and I wanted to savour every red and golden leaf, for in a blink they had fallen.

Which is probably why I kept coming back to this beautiful image in the #mythursdaybreaktime gallery this month.

I love how Hannah (@hannahruthking) has captured the fleeting sunshine shining through these gathered leaves, hanging as if they're gliding down from a tree.

It captures the beauty of the season wonderfully and I'm delighted to pick it as the winning post for November's #mythursdaybreaktime giveaway. Hannah will recieve a £50 voucher to spend at the Secret Linen Store, lucky thing! There's a whole host of beautiful linen to choose from which you can find here. Congratulations Hannah, please drop me a line with your details.

As a special treat this month I'm teaming up with the lovely Bare Atlantic who are generously giving away one of their stunning friendship bracelets. Made with precious silver beads and luxurious silk, they're simply stunning. There's a great range of colours available to suit all tastes too, why not pop over for a look here.

As usual, simply tag in me and @bareatlantic along with the hashtag to enter your posts into the giveaway.
With all the busyness of this twinkly month, the parties, preparations, shopping and feasting, don't forget to take time out for yourself to rest, put your feet up and savour it.

Thank you as always to everyone who joins in each week, I can't wait to see your posts this month.

With love,
Lowri  x

Finding Treasures In November

November has flown, hasn't it?! Our month has been busy, with birthday celebrations, weekends away, delicious suppers in the company of best friends and the busiest period in my shop to date.

Amid all of this, I've made a few discoveries which I thought I'd share with you. A number of them make lovely gifts, so consider this my own little contribution to a whole host of gift guides popping up at the moment.

1. Hobo Soy Candle. This delicious candle was one of the treats in my goody bag at the Sisterhood Supper with Toast (which you can read about here). I love the crisp design of the tin and the wood wick burns beautifully.  The scent is Fresh Fig and Cassis, a perfect combination.

I've been following this business on instagram for a month or two now, about the time that the founder Rachael left her full time job to concentrate on candles, it's great to see it growing so quickly. You can find their full range here.

2. Nutscene Twine.
I bought this twine a while ago but discovered it in the depths of my bureau last week. It will certainly be put to good use in my Christmas wrapping but more on my plans for festive gift wrap another time.

I bought the twine from House By Betty which is my favourite gift shop near where my parents live. They are also online here and on Instagram. Lauren has created a treasure trove of gifts which I guarantee you'll be tempted by.

3. Bo Ho Bo Aromatherapy
This little balm was also included in my Sisterhood goody bag and it smells incredible.

It's ingredients include some of my favourites - sweet almond oil, rose, geranium, bergamon, sicillian lavendar and clary sage. I have to admit to knowing little about aromatherapy and being ignorant of the benefits that so many natural products have, I'd love to learn more next about it next year though. You can find their full range of products here. 

3. Mamgu's Watch
OK so this isn't a gift and it certainly isn't for sale. This watch belonged to my Grandmother (my Mamgu) and I rediscovered it with joy this month.

My two children have a habit of finding little bags in my room (usually containing make up or jewellery) and emptying them to make room for their own treasures. It usually drives me crazy but when a little bag, that I'd quite forgotten about, was pulled out from the back of a drawer containing this watch I was so pleased. The battery has gone and its pretty scratched but I've been wearing it as a bracelet so really don't mind. Just as well that it doesn't tell the time as I photographed it upside down for this post, there's rushing to beat the loss of daylight for you!

5. Bare Atlantic Friendship Bracelet.
This is something else I've LOVED wearing this month. I bought an identical bracelet for a best friend's 30th birthday gift and just couldn't resist having one to match. The sign of true friendship right?!

Bare Atlantic was founded by a friend of mine called Sarah who designs and makes these delicate pieces herself.  They are exquisitely made and the packaging they come in is equally as lovely.
Sarah takes pride in sourcing her materials ethically, a quality which I admire greatly. The silk comes from Germany from a company with a rich heritage in silk production since the 1800s and the silver beads are made by Karen Hill Tribe artisans in Thailand. The colour of this silk is 'pale pink' but you can find the full range of bracelets here.

I started my Christmas shopping this weekend and am thoroughly enjoying finding unique presents from smaller, independent businesses. Hopefully my discoveries this month have given you a few ideas for your own gift giving.

I can't wait to see what December has in store and look forward to sharing more treasures and finds this time next month.

Thanks for stopping by.
Lowri x