tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67902568737189365342024-03-13T18:31:22.761+00:00The Chimera and the ChloeClothes, hair, make up, beer, wine, brewing, kittens, interior design, typography, graphic design, packaging, art, architecture, food and recipes and the odd local event.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-71844173587662832072014-01-12T10:07:00.000+00:002014-01-14T10:11:04.870+00:002/52Week two is nearly over!<br />
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Is it just me or does 2014 seem to be hurrying away already? But, that said, I have achieved a lot of great things already! Some things which are in the pipeline are starting to move forwards (more on this in a few weeks probably), my new years resolution isn't going too badly, I have been for my first run of the year today (more on that later too if I stick to it!), my budgeting is going well. All in all things aren't too shabby!<br />
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1. Self Portrait.<br />
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Well, I have to admit that I'm still not feeling too comfortable about putting my face on the net. Instead of a sensible portrait though, I have decided to pull a silly face and play on my photo editor with the 'cartoon' function. This way it hides the fact that I took the photo a couple of days after clippering my hair, with no make up on, fairly late at night. But in terms of 'being happy' this is still working as a great challenge to myself.<br />
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2. Garden<br />
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Ok, so I cheated already. This isn't taken in my garden, but not too far off. I also know it's pretty much another weather shot (see below,) but nevertheless, I did say that I'd let my self be flexible. I just had to stop and capture the totally blue sky with the sun struck trees off to the side.<br />
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3. Weather<br />
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This is the real weather shot! High river speeding along, wind pushing my brolly around and rain pouring down. This was captured on my mobile so it hasn't got the quality to pick out the rain unfortunately. But if you live in or near Bristol, you'll know it was there!<br />
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4. Number.<br />
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So this challenge was more to make me leave the house and look for details I might normally have missed. This week I signed up for a course (more on this next week) of which I am doing level '2'. How convenient! I still find printing techniques quite fascinating. Getting so close to this number to take the picture shows how the dots are ever so slightly misaligned with the back ground yellow.<br />
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5. Words<br />
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This weeks been a bit tight on time for my boyfriend and I, so we've succumbed to a Chinese takeaway. I feel guilty, but this isn't our usual Chinese. I feel as if we've defected. We're not good people. (Good Chinese though!) <br />
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6. Colour<br />
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PEEEEAAAAAAS! Yes. Peas. Another phone picture I'm afraid. But this was a spur of the moment thing. I apologise about the poor quality. I think I'm starting to learn a little about photography already from this project. Like it's really hard to take a beautifully highly coloured picture over a small saucepan of steaming vegetables with a rubbish mobile phone camera!<br />
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7. Black and White<br />
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Last photo of this surprisingly short week. Another walk in to work, another phone photo. Black and White photos are often adout high contrast, but this picture is about texture. The swans (which were not posing well at all. Bad swans!) are a great focal point for the foreground, but the picture is really all about the patterns and reflections on the water.<br />
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Well, there we are. I have managed two whole weeks of my 52 weeks project! I promised my self I'd do it until the end of January at least! I'm half way through. Kind of!<br />
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I'm not totally pleased with my photos this week. I think this coming week I will be travelling around with my actual camera a lot more. Do you have a photo project this year? Or any hints and tips for my photography skills?<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-68826762861592953732014-01-01T13:29:00.000+00:002014-01-04T15:06:37.963+00:001/52I wasn't expecting to write anything here today. I've been having trouble finding the inspiration to write here recently, but there is something inspiring about a New Year. It not only brings the hope of future happiness, but also opens the mind up to think about what can be/what you want to achieve. New Year's resolutions have a bad reputation, they almost feel doomed to failure, and yet so many people make them. It's the new hope that the new year brings. Which I think is an excellent thing! I'm not making any traditional resolutions this year. Yes, of course I want to loose weight, and do exercise, learn more or earn more but what I truly want to achieve this year is happiness. Happiness in everything I do. Even when I'm three stone over weight, I want to be happy about my body. Even when I can't afford to go out, I want to find pleasure in staying in. I am going to find something positive about everyday and stop dwelling on the difficult and stressful. I'm going to devote 2014 to being happy.<br />
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As a part of that I have decided to start a year long project, and document it here. I know there's nothing new about a 365 day or 52 week long project. But rather than try to document my life I am going to try to reinforce my happiness. <br />
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My plan is to take 7 photographs a week (I'm not restricting myself to one a day, life's too unpredictable!) I'll try to post once a week, and I'm only dedicating my self to this for January for starters. (I'm going to little bite sizes goals here!)<br />
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Rather than have one theme, or no theme, I'm going to have 7 themes. One for each day of the week.<br />
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1. Self portrait<br />
2. The garden<br />
3. Weather<br />
4. A number <br />
5. Words<br />
6. A colour<br />
7. Black and White<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4pPtdpoayg/UsgZl6bkH_I/AAAAAAAABCc/RZipR7iO38A/s1600/1-52+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4pPtdpoayg/UsgZl6bkH_I/AAAAAAAABCc/RZipR7iO38A/s640/1-52+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working up to a full portrait shot. Accidentally captured the reflection of myself and camera in the mirror I used to take the photo though, so I reckon it counts!</td></tr>
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Self portrait is pretty self explanatory. This is all about documenting happiness, but also it's partly a challenge to myself. I'm not usually filled with self confidence, so it's going to be a bit scary to find enough good feelings towards my self to put my face on the web every week!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_7bdnO7c6TQ/UsgZx0rX_qI/AAAAAAAABCk/QDzVtBv-7Ko/s1600/1-52+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="560" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_7bdnO7c6TQ/UsgZx0rX_qI/AAAAAAAABCk/QDzVtBv-7Ko/s640/1-52+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the lushest plants in the garden at the moment. I think it's 'lords and ladies'. I dug this up and transplanted it in the summer from my Dad's old garden before he moved.</td></tr>
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The garden is one of the things I love and brings me a lot of pleasure. I'm going to take a photo of anything that takes my fancy from birds and bees to leaves, flowers or mud and compost.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qpXbELO_C2g/UsgZycVTBFI/AAAAAAAABCo/_fwHTLqJ5DA/s640/1-52+3.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="466" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I missed the amazing scenes of flooding in Bristol this week due to looking after my boyfriends kids. A moody rain filled sky was all that was left by the time I got the camera out.</td></tr>
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Weather. Rain, shine, sun sets (I doubt you'll get a sun rise from me!) clouds, rainbows, hail or snow. It can be pretty dramatic, and since I like dancing about in the rain, I see no reason not to let something so everyday cause happiness.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfPGLPCzjQ4/UsQ2_U9OkhI/AAAAAAAABCQ/47Dh5ldvQH8/s1600/SDC14080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfPGLPCzjQ4/UsQ2_U9OkhI/AAAAAAAABCQ/47Dh5ldvQH8/s640/SDC14080.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas cards. Enough said.</td></tr>
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A number. This is a challenge to find a number in the wild as it were, for the week in question. So for week one I might photograph a door number, week two find '2 tbsp' written in a recipe book. Or as I've found for 1/52 a 1st class stamp.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8P9sPe09xec/UsghgXZd_wI/AAAAAAAABDM/6dusOOccoaU/s1600/1-52+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8P9sPe09xec/UsghgXZd_wI/AAAAAAAABDM/6dusOOccoaU/s640/1-52+5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After all, when you seek advice from someone it's certainly not because you want them to give it. You just want them to be there while you talk to yourself.</td></tr>
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Words. For this I want to capture a phrase from a book that makes me smile or think. Or a quote from someone, or just some attractive typography, or 'bus lane' written on the road, anything that interests me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SS1Jhn8n0V8/UsgZzdi_5AI/AAAAAAAABC8/I8LBo1IARI8/s1600/1-52+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SS1Jhn8n0V8/UsgZzdi_5AI/AAAAAAAABC8/I8LBo1IARI8/s640/1-52+6.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starry fairy lights slung together in a fire grate.</td></tr>
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A colour. I love all-colour photographs and I want to capture a saturated image. So a close up of an all red flower, or a red brick wall, or maybe a huddle of brown beer bottles. The key here is texture.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1pfsll6V30Q/UsgZz6qTnqI/AAAAAAAABC4/NVfLy_JcN8U/s1600/1-52+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="620" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1pfsll6V30Q/UsgZz6qTnqI/AAAAAAAABC4/NVfLy_JcN8U/s640/1-52+7.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lonely Christmas decoration (jewellery) I scooped up from the last of the detritus left over when my dad moved house not long ago. Dug out of a bag whilst tidying for Christmas.</td></tr>
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Lastly I want to try to capture a dramatic black and white image. Again the theme is really finding something that makes me happy, but not an image of happiness itself. Don't expect mawkish pictures of my family inanely grinning at the camera, but high contrast images of trees or cars or reflections on water, (or the occasional kitten.) <br />
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I'm definitely giving my self some freedom here though. One week maybe I'll have two black and white images, but one will be the self portrait. Or perhaps I will decide to have a two-toned colour photograph. Maybe I'll decide a puddle counts as 'weather', who knows. The point is to push myself to think about the things which give me pleasure.<br />
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What do you think to my 2014 project?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-24677731774542851522013-12-28T12:58:00.000+00:002013-12-28T12:58:21.075+00:00Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!I've been struggling with what to write here since declaring my withdrawal from trying to run Chloe and the Chimera as a successful business. I have two long blog posts waiting to be finished but neither of them feel right just at this time. I guess I'm feeling a little at sea at the moment with life. Too much, and yet, too little going on all at the same time!<br />
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Anyway I haven't forgotten about writing here, but you may have to be patient with me!<br />
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A Christmas tree made from buttons makes everything better!<br />
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I would like to wish all my readers a lovely New year, and I hope you've had an astounding Christmas.<br />
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I can feel that 2014 is going to be an exceptional and successful, but above all happy year!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-45102161046205975502013-12-08T10:53:00.000+00:002013-12-08T10:53:18.573+00:00Chloe and the Chimera and the Future.Well, this is a positive, yet slightly sad moment.<br />
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I have decided to call it a day on Chloe and the Chimera as a business in the main. You'll still be able to buy jewellery online from my shop <a href="http://www.chloeandthechimera.com/">www.chloeandthechimera.com</a>, or from the shop '<a href="http://www.dadswellglass.co.uk/" target="_blank">Glass Designs and Gallery</a>' on North Street, Southville, Bristol where I sell my stuff. But I'm no longer going to be pursuing this as a career.<br />
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I'm going to be putting my energies in to a new avenue, of which I'm still not sure of the details. I decided it was better to be able to leave feeling good and try my hand at something that I will be able to do full time, and not have to devote most of my time, and all of my energy to working for someone else just to keep afloat whilst working on my 'dream'. I should be living my dream all the time. <br />
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So, that's all the sad bits over and done with. I just want to take a moment to thank every single person that ever liked, followed, read, bought or enjoyed anything I've done. Thank you so much for making Chloe and the Chimera possible, even for this short time.<br />
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On to new things.<br />
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I have decided that I don't want to let go of Chloe and the Chimera completely. Asides from keeping the website to sell from, I'm going to be keeping hold of my <a href="https://twitter.com/ChloeandChimera" target="_blank">Twitter </a>account, and the business <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chloeandthechimera" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page as well as this blog and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/chloeandchimera/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>, and use them as my personal space on the net to talk about things I'm doing or that I find interesting. So with any luck I will be chatting about clothing, hair, make up, beer, wine, brewing, kittens, interior design, typography, graphic design, packaging, art, architecture, food and recipes, gardening, vegetables, flowers and garden design and maybe the odd local event. (The gardening side of things have their own blog <a href="http://thechimerasgarden.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">here</a> but will nevertheless start to show up on my twitter and facebook feeds.)<br />
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I really hope that without the pressure on me to make this a 'business' blog, I'll actually use it more, and be more interested and relaxed about the things I'm curious about.<br />
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I would like to invite all of my readers here, on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest to join me, to share the things I'm fascinated by, and to explore the world the way I see things now.<br />
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Here's to the future!<br />
-Chloe-<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-71321494863053115432013-08-20T11:47:00.000+01:002013-08-20T11:47:36.971+01:00Make Sunday's specialWow!<br />
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So, the day before yesterday was the third Make Sunday's Special event. It was a great success for me!<br />
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I had my little stall at the top of Corn Street opposite the registers office.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PuusGYfY9hs/UhNHOlAaAUI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/ZXvS2oO8Z4w/s1600/DSC_0017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PuusGYfY9hs/UhNHOlAaAUI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/ZXvS2oO8Z4w/s640/DSC_0017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
(Photo taken by <a href="mailto:andrewbaillon@live.co.uk" target="_blank">Snappy Andy</a>)<br />
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Lately I've spent a lot of time working on the business, developing the
jewellery side of things. I made the decision to officially drop the
other aspects of the business barring my illustrated (and upcycled)
home-ware for the time being. I think being more focused on one area
will be beneficial to my business overall.<br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AHub1h9p8ik/UhNGHbuZQfI/AAAAAAAAA6E/qADjioKWIa8/s1600/DSC_0377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AHub1h9p8ik/UhNGHbuZQfI/AAAAAAAAA6E/qADjioKWIa8/s640/DSC_0377.jpg" /></a></div>
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I've also started to draw not only birds, but underwater creatures like this octopus. So far you can also snag your self squids, jellyfish and angel fish!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8lFxTU9_yw8/UhNFpmzs-aI/AAAAAAAAA58/dHtmh_pWYDc/s1600/DSC_0242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8lFxTU9_yw8/UhNFpmzs-aI/AAAAAAAAA58/dHtmh_pWYDc/s640/DSC_0242.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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The birds are still going strong, now featuring chickens! I'm also taking commissions so please get in touch!<br />
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I'll be at the next <a href="http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/make-sundays-special" target="_blank">Make Sunday's Special</a> event on the 29th September. Although, this is the last market I have planned so far! Please feel free to make suggestions for shops or markets where you think my jewellery (and home-ware) would go down well!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-28093149184247587902013-06-24T13:03:00.000+01:002013-06-24T13:03:00.243+01:00Pincredible: week unknownSo, it's been a while since I wrote anything of note. It's been a pretty hard 6 months or so for me. I wanted to just do a quick Pincredible too brighten up the blog. I'll be posting a few Chloe and the Chimera based pieces in the coming days hopefully, but for now some pretty pictures and inspiration.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nga.gov.au/Exhibition/BalletsRusses/Default.cfm?IRN=107452&MnuID=3&ViewID=2" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.nga.gov.au/Exhibition/BalletsRusses/Images/400/107452.jpg" width="394" /></a></div>
What an astoundingly beautiful dress? I want to steal this design and make myself a few! It's a <span class="ARTIST">Léon Bakst
</span>design
<span class="Lar">c.1912.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.teacuptea.com/2012/12/the-cheesemakers-apprentice-make-your.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AV1ad295bBM/ULrgB5wemUI/AAAAAAAAASM/P5MamRz-vQI/s640/cheese_book_1.jpg" width="436" /></a></div>
<span class="Lar">The ultimate cheese platter? I think so! I love birds eye view food photography, and this is no exception.</span><br />
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<a href="http://dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/palette-coral.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ak1.pinimg.com/736x/26/1d/57/261d57604e9cac28441b2c365ed51a3f.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
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Coral and grey is a new one on me. Not normally a fan of coral at all, yet teamed with that soft lavender-y grey it seems restful and calm.<br />
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<a href="http://www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2012/11/6/joanna-henderson.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.desiretoinspire.net/storage/allpostphotos/May-Flooring-1-1joanna%20henderson.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1352140505444" width="426" /></a></div>
I love the varies black and white patterns and that perfect green.<br />
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<a href="http://bookorithms.tumblr.com/post/26006976880/the-book-of-the-onion-by-ambrose-heath-a" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6abv350Vm1rsdcdko1_500.jpg" width="420" /></a></div>
I love everything about this. The colour choice is beautiful, I love the layout of the leaves weaving between and through the letters. I love the green capitals on the name, and not least I love the subject! "The book of the onion"! Awesome.<br />
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec4.pinimg.com/736x/43/b2/41/43b241f5c74ba0854f744199bf61a472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinimg.com/736x/43/b2/41/43b241f5c74ba0854f744199bf61a472.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
For some reason this picture makes me feel super optimistic.<br />
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A brief Pincredible this time, but I hope you've enjoyed.<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-3399809067313568962013-06-16T08:29:00.001+01:002013-06-16T08:29:59.385+01:00Woah<p>So, things have been totally mental for me lately. Working at the bar and making tonnes of jewellery for the road closure on the 23rd for make Sundays special. I have a temporary lodger staying in my spare room / office so I haven't been able to get at the internet properly! Let alone holding down a relationship, and working for my third job one or two days a week! </p>
<p>Wow. Hopefully I'll be back to blogging properly again soon.</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-14744730533922515362013-04-10T12:17:00.002+01:002013-04-10T12:17:58.514+01:00Good excuse Oh dear, yet again I've turned in to a bad blogger.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Or0eCt8ysvQ/UWVInnufNII/AAAAAAAAA3w/1rSz-RPtKvE/s1600/175BIR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Or0eCt8ysvQ/UWVInnufNII/AAAAAAAAA3w/1rSz-RPtKvE/s640/175BIR.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And, yet this time I have good reason! I've been working hard for <a href="http://www.chloeandthechimera.com/" target="_blank">Chloe and the Chimera</a> these last few weeks. Lots of exciting things have been happening in the quarter.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TCUfPBSQGkI/UWVInQEA1UI/AAAAAAAAA3s/qbemCJ9SvTc/s1600/178BIR1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TCUfPBSQGkI/UWVInQEA1UI/AAAAAAAAA3s/qbemCJ9SvTc/s640/178BIR1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've been making lots of new jewellery for my little business because I have had a lovely shop in Bedminster take some in to sell! I'm so pleased! I have also been featured on a website. <a href="http://www.babble-somerset.co.uk/" target="_blank">Babble Somerset</a> has featured my business for their April issue!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVAMxAwbBtg/UWVInnn7UII/AAAAAAAAA30/x1RGhGARtL0/s1600/174BIR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nVAMxAwbBtg/UWVInnn7UII/AAAAAAAAA30/x1RGhGARtL0/s640/174BIR.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /><a href="http://www.dadswellglass.co.uk/" target="_blank">Glass Designs & Gallery</a> have got a beautiful little shop on North Street in Bedminster in South Bristol. They sell a variety of gorgeous things and have been so kind as to sell my 'Birds' line in jewellery! If your in the area you should definitely go and take a look.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFDwvn5TQqM/UWVIoYQSJsI/AAAAAAAAA34/Bv3PwigxWo4/s1600/179BIR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dFDwvn5TQqM/UWVIoYQSJsI/AAAAAAAAA34/Bv3PwigxWo4/s640/179BIR.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Babble Somerset is a site that helps to advertise and promote local businesses in the Somerset area. I felt so honoured to be asked if I'd like to be featured! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRdV1tgU_Gk/UWVIoQcb7oI/AAAAAAAAA4A/BjELBTDWRoo/s1600/187BIRflamingoearrings01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRdV1tgU_Gk/UWVIoQcb7oI/AAAAAAAAA4A/BjELBTDWRoo/s640/187BIRflamingoearrings01.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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I intend to catch up with my blogging very soon. Now that I feel like Chloe and the Chimera is going places again I'll be blogging more about the business too. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RcE46t5aCOo/UWVIoeo3aSI/AAAAAAAAA4E/iD4TM2qW-zA/s1600/182BIRflamingonecklacemain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RcE46t5aCOo/UWVIoeo3aSI/AAAAAAAAA4E/iD4TM2qW-zA/s640/182BIRflamingonecklacemain.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YnXsUPAG5Is/UWVIo3CUKiI/AAAAAAAAA4I/Pl14iakLuzM/s1600/188BIRbullfinchearringsmain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YnXsUPAG5Is/UWVIo3CUKiI/AAAAAAAAA4I/Pl14iakLuzM/s640/188BIRbullfinchearringsmain.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uunmT05kz1A/UWVIpUL2nOI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/ThdM7yQQ96M/s1600/189BIRcrestedtitearringsmain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uunmT05kz1A/UWVIpUL2nOI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/ThdM7yQQ96M/s640/189BIRcrestedtitearringsmain.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-14644194051140808422013-03-25T13:18:00.000+00:002013-03-25T13:18:20.677+00:00Pincredible: Week 12 (A little late) Grey :)<br />
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<a href="http://hallingstad.blogspot.nl/2012/06/moodboard-sovevrelse.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/736x/89/57/e3/8957e37e044b9fed4c5d0d0454556672.jpg" width="522" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/736x/ed/66/7e/ed667e26c892e345b3e5847af9045cc8.jpg" width="426" /></div>
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<a href="http://www.basichus.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="386" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/736x/a1/b5/dd/a1b5dd6ac5b0e407463e1d1569d9cde9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.chicdesigninvestments.com/p/home.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/736x/ec/98/b0/ec98b0411c54f9b2b78256c0d3492d26.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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And green.<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/169940585911824658/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/736x/c2/33/31/c2333119506951a94aae2296efafa28d.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-41411232578140224522013-03-14T11:05:00.000+00:002013-03-14T11:05:01.720+00:00Operation garden: Part 2.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9x7ntvr5IaQ/UUCd-wtr8pI/AAAAAAAAA2c/rYWUXiSsHCo/s1600/planting+plan+2+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9x7ntvr5IaQ/UUCd-wtr8pI/AAAAAAAAA2c/rYWUXiSsHCo/s640/planting+plan+2+copy.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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I want to share with you my planting plan for my garden. It is a bit beyond what is necessary for beginner gardeners, but I have decided to write one out so that I can plan what to sow, and where to plant so that I know every area will have something growing in it at some point! It's not a professional garden plan. I haven't covered every season, but it is a plan to get my garden started, to try to cover all the bare earth at least once this gardening year!<br />
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So <a href="http://chimeraandthechloe.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/operation-garden-part-1.html" target="_blank">looking back here </a>you can see my garden plan.<br />
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This was my starting point.<br />
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Next I listed all the plants that I had in the garden, or had seeds and bulbs for.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3sQ44dRYn7U/UUDDTMs7sSI/AAAAAAAAA28/4_lgp5U1gXI/s1600/planting+list+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3sQ44dRYn7U/UUDDTMs7sSI/AAAAAAAAA28/4_lgp5U1gXI/s640/planting+list+1.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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Then, I plotted in all the plants that I already had in place. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4kl-cUiWTig/UUCfh3daOXI/AAAAAAAAA2k/GZ1yrb2eNIA/s1600/planting+plan+3+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4kl-cUiWTig/UUCfh3daOXI/AAAAAAAAA2k/GZ1yrb2eNIA/s640/planting+plan+3+copy.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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Next I plotted all the 'big' plants that would provide structure. Currently most of these so called big plants are actually only about 3 inches high in the form of cuttings, so these have been plotted but only as small plants for this year.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BJe1XocD1zQ/UUCgQf1foYI/AAAAAAAAA2w/xihsKJGBkP4/s1600/planting+plan+4+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BJe1XocD1zQ/UUCgQf1foYI/AAAAAAAAA2w/xihsKJGBkP4/s640/planting+plan+4+copy.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
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Next I divided up the remaining bedding space and tried to put plants in the right place for the amount of sun they require - I have tried to buy shade tolerant plants though due to the nature of my garden. I've gone for blocks of plants sometimes with two different types mixed together within these blocks.<br />
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I have also tried to consider height, and put the larger plants at the back of the borders.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i29nA5upcM/UUCdZ2F1t6I/AAAAAAAAA2U/Oijz_FFCJB8/s1600/planting+plan+1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8i29nA5upcM/UUCdZ2F1t6I/AAAAAAAAA2U/Oijz_FFCJB8/s640/planting+plan+1+copy.jpg" width="488" /></a></div>
The wobbly shapes around the edge are climbers. It's probably best to refer to the 'Operation Garden: Part 1' post to understand the various random shapes within the plan above. Although in short the darker green is long grass, the brown is the decking area, the grey concrete and stairs, and in the top left corner, compost heap and wood pile (there's an archway over the compost heap hence the climbers growing in that direction.)<br />
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The one thing which I have done which will make every experienced gardener everywhere cry softly in to their gardening gloves is to totally ignore anything resembling a colour scheme. I have done this on purpose really. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly I wasn't sure that I would be able to place plants in the right places (shade/sun etc) as well as in a colour scheme. This is only the second year I've had a garden, and last year, everything got eaten by slugs, so I'm pretty inexperienced. Secondly I really wanted a riot of colour across the whole garden. If I manage to get plants to grow this year I will make a plan based on what grows the best where.<br />
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I hope that I get a lot of self seeding and growth from existing plants. I really want this garden to encourage wildlife and to feel organic. I would quite like a bit of an overgrown mess as contrast to the almost completely bare borders I currently have!<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-29951420475651680172013-03-13T10:38:00.000+00:002013-03-13T10:38:05.222+00:00Pincredible: Weeks 9, 10 and 11.It's amazing how much a cold can completely destroy you isn't it? Three weeks of feeling like your the wrong end of a badger. Yuck. Oh well, here is a bit of a catch up for you. No theme, just pretty pictures!<br />
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<a href="http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/design-interiors/2012/april/modern-monochrome" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://cdni.condenast.co.uk/369x480/d_f/dining4_HG_18apr12_pr_b.jpg" width="492" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thisisglamorous.com/2011/02/oscar-party-inspiration-buttercream.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5054/5408154871_8a48cb5c22_z.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=26937375&parentid=A_FURN_FURNITURE" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/736x/9c/f9/f7/9cf9f72203b0e7d89bf5c5a2d10545fd.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-4105837882927317532013-03-03T13:22:00.000+00:002013-03-03T14:19:40.936+00:00Modern household management<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’ve been toying lately with the concept of modern household management. I like the idea of Mrs Beetons book covering all necessary
areas of life with instruction on how to do things. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bhm_title.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Bhm_title.jpg/376px-Bhm_title.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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The reason for my interest in this topic is that I have
spent a lot of time recently trying to figure out just what I want from life.
The things I enjoy are for a large part out of fashion. Sure, some of these
things are very much in vogue though. Tv shows on everything DIY and the recent
explosion on the love of vintage and second hand. Yet gardening and true home
design seem less important, the realm of the eccentric and fuddyduddys. People talk about going green or growing their own,
but if truth be told I think I have only one friend who shows any interest in
growing anything but chilli plants. I walk around my local area and I see maybe
one in twenty gardens that look like they’ve been tended in the last year. The
people I know who have managed to move away from their parents often show little
flair with the interiors of their houses. I don’t know a soul who actually has
any true interest in having livestock of any sort.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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I think there are certainly many explanations for this:</div>
<ul>
<li>People are too busy</li>
<li>Work is by far the highest priority</li>
<li>People are too poor to spend time and money on their
immediate environment</li>
<li>Education about these issues is awful</li>
<li>The decline of the housewife & the need for two incomes</li>
<li>Lack of space, inability to get on the housing market, next to no outside area in many homes </li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">All of these problems and many more seem to remove the
desire and knowledge of how to start up, improve and run a household.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Maybe rather than the title of modern household
management, which does sound like I am extolling the virtues of doing
the washing up after every meal, I should call this concept something
like the modern good life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3097160/Return-to-the-Good-Life-is-the-solution-to-the-food-crisis.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="The Good Life. Richard Briers" border="0" height="400" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01000/The-Good-Life-220_1000343f.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For some reason I can clean, I can cook, I can sew, I can knit. I can design outfits and draft patterns, I can design spaces both inside and out. I can dig, plant, sow, prune, use a chainsaw and an axe. I can actually use a band-saw, circular-saw, soldering iron and pillar drill too. I can mend bikes, and help cut down trees. I can cut glass, I can decorate rooms and redesign furniture. I can do accounts and budget. I can build dry stone walls, and build amazing bonfires. I can make jewellery and do make-up very well. I'm about to brew my own beer and make my own wine. I've helped mix and lay concrete. I can skim walls with plaster and point stonework (admittedly only once on those last two.) There are probably a lot more random things I can do too.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9U4yNZnDLow/UR5GGLcsdSI/AAAAAAAAAy0/bmqYlV7GoFg/s1600/SDC122971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Planting garlic. Grow your own" border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9U4yNZnDLow/UR5GGLcsdSI/AAAAAAAAAy0/bmqYlV7GoFg/s400/SDC122971.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For the most part these skills are all but pointless in most jobs that you can apply to with out taking the skills to the next level and having a degree in the use of them. And, I want to do all of these things day in day out. Hence thinking so much about the concept of modern house hold management. Is there a place in modern life for taking order of your domestic spaces, running your household, without becoming a housewife?</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://thriftshopromantic.blogspot.co.uk/2009/01/even-more-brow-furrowingly-funny.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-SBWn5XSYVM/SWvVvqljFJI/AAAAAAAAEhg/RHZsTEwgi5I/s320/Rinso1F.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I believe there must be, I also believe that other people should be able to aspire to "the good life" with out giving up modern existence and moving to your own farm in the country. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">So, I want to design and decorate my home so that it functions well and looks </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">stunning</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">. I want to design my garden so that it is beautiful, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">relaxing</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">, attractive to wildlife and also productive in terms of food. I want to rear some livestock, chickens</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> and pygmy goats (no reason other
than they're cute)</span> for instance. I want to </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">cook great</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> fresh and healthy food sourced locally. I want to be as 'green' as reasonable, and I want to look and feel good wearing nice clothes and make-up while I do it all. I don't want to spend a fortune, I don't want to move house, but I do want to fundamentally change the way my life is run.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://kismetkennel.com/chickens/polish.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://kismetkennel.com/chickens/chirpy-oct08.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Furthermore, I want to help open the eyes of other people to the possibility of doing such things, I want to encourage people to care about their surroundings and the way they run their lives. I would love to be able to earn a living helping people to love their lives.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I have an end goal for my self I am working towards in order to achieve this way of life. Unfortunately this goal requires a certain amount (read scarily hugely massive amount) of cash to get going. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">How do I get started working towards my goal, and towards interesting other people in this lifestyle, in the short to medium term? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The first solution I have come up with is to use this blog more fully. Initially I want to write about and give hints and tips on having your own piece of the good life, without giving up every aspect of modern living. After all I live in a city, and I have restricted time, space and funds like most people. I believe this does not have to be a limiting factor.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://balconygardenideas.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/apartment-balcony-garden.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-irpyeLA8_po/TZXsovW_sPI/AAAAAAAAEkg/fbDdC9Vkd7g/s400/aprtment+ther+041409_balcony.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This is where the idea of Mrs Beeton comes back in. Her book isn't just a guide to cooking (although that is the greater part of it), it is a guide to running your home. From bringing up children to firing servants.</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Can I provide the same concept but in an up-to-date setting? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I think I can. In my list of reasons that people don't even think about the way they run their lives, I mentioned education. When I was newly in secondary school fifteen or so years ago, we were not taught the basic running of a house like women were in my mothers time in the sixties. 'Home Economics' no longer existed. I was taught a very limited amount of cooking, I certainly wasn't taught how to clean a house properly. I was taught how to use a sewing machine though. I made a cushion. It was made incorrectly, you couldn't remove the pad. It seems odd to me that that was pretty much the limit of the sewing skills we were taught. In design technology we made a basic automata. We used, even at the time, embarrassingly out of date computer design programs in IT. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Why weren't we taught how to make basic stews and bread? I admit I learnt to make white sauce - a useful piece of knowledge, but other than that beans on toast and swiss-roll won't really help many people develop their cooking skills. Why weren't we taught to put in zips, sew on buttons and hem trousers. These are the basic skills that everyone will need at some point. Why did we do no design in design technology? Why didn't we get shown computer design in a useful way? We should have used the computer to design our automata! Gardening, growing fruit & veg and maintaining your house were not brought up once that I remember. Money management was also never mentioned, an enormous and unforgivable failure by school, college and university. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4hpehQs9Wos/UR5G5r9dEMI/AAAAAAAAAzA/5oItTD_Cpn8/s1600/SDC11701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Home made bread" border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4hpehQs9Wos/UR5G5r9dEMI/AAAAAAAAAzA/5oItTD_Cpn8/s640/SDC11701.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We were taught a lot of academic skills but next to nothing that is applicable in normal day to day life. I think that I can provide an education in all the ways that schools fail. I'm not criticising schools as much as I sound here, people of all ages should absolutely be taught to aim high. 'Become a scientist!' - yes! Do! But schools forgot that in the mean time, living in a bedsit in a dodgy end of the city is a high possibility, and that you will need to cook for yourself on a budget, clean your surroundings, and budget your own finances as a bare minimum. I think that schools, colleges and universities do a great job of career preparation, but not of life preparation.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Of course there is a certain amount of coverage for all these topics I am talking of, as I mentioned earlier DIY and vintage are very fashionable. Kirstie's handmade home for instance, there are enough baking programmes out there to never need a cook book again, sort your life out guides have had an airing, as has interior design and gardening. But they are always treated as separate entities. I feel that gardening naturally leads on to growing food, which leads to cooking, which leads to spending time in the house, which leads to home interiors, and I want to look great while I do all that. Everything is intertwined! How can you consider doing one of these things without doing something involved in another?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Would you be interested in learning more of modern day Home Economics or how to create your own Good Life? Is this something communities want for themselves or for their kids? Can it be made sufficiently interesting?!<br />
<br />
Is this something viable that I should start working towards and incorporating in to my own business? Chloe and the Chimera was never supposed to just be a shop. It was always meant to embrace an entire concept. Interior design and property development have always been on the list from the outset of ways to evolve the business. But can I also develop it in to a whole life eduction and improvement occupation?</span>
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<i>All images and content is © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-2040555385098301272013-02-24T18:00:00.000+00:002013-02-24T18:00:02.910+00:00Crust-less, wheat free, quiche.Recently I have had no food in the house, and therefore I have been popping in to my local Asda to pick up something for my 'lunches' at work. Seeing as my 'lunch' usually drops somewhere between 4pm and 8pm I am understandably hungry. Also, as usual, I am avoiding wheat. When you can't have bread or pasta, making or buying lunch that you can hold and have cold is actually rather frustratingly difficult. Almost all shop bought salads are out because they feel it necessary to add pasta, obviously I can't have a sandwich. I have discovered a crust-less quiche on the shelves in the supermarket, but this still comes with a thick base of pastry! So I decided to have a go at making my own entirely crust-less quiches!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
<br />
6 eggs<br />
some veg<br />
some bacon<br />
some cheese<br />
(in this case about 3 broccoli florets cut up, about 1/8 leek, 1/8 red pepper, 5 cherry tomatoes, 1/4 courgette, 3 mushrooms and 2 rashers of smoked bacon)<br />
<br />
Mixture fills 12 cupcake 'cups' <br />
<br />
Method:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Cook off all the veg and bacon in a pan.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VowBwdyAxY/USOp63bktwI/AAAAAAAAA00/bNphJnOI_PE/s1600/SDC134471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9VowBwdyAxY/USOp63bktwI/AAAAAAAAA00/bNphJnOI_PE/s640/SDC134471.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NcmN7_CzAkY/USOp7GqNXnI/AAAAAAAAA04/KAqEJVk1zMo/s1600/SDC134501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NcmN7_CzAkY/USOp7GqNXnI/AAAAAAAAA04/KAqEJVk1zMo/s640/SDC134501.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Whisk together the eggs with a little milk (or soya milk) and grate some cheese in. Season.</li>
<li>Pour a little oil in the bottom of each cupcake 'cup'.</li>
<li>Pour some of the egg mix in the bottom</li>
<li>Spoon in the veg & bacon mix</li>
<li>Add more cheese on top</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ydTsVbb_abA/USOp7JmLMKI/AAAAAAAAA08/mEoQ6-rPkyo/s1600/SDC134551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ydTsVbb_abA/USOp7JmLMKI/AAAAAAAAA08/mEoQ6-rPkyo/s640/SDC134551.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li>Top up with the egg mix</li>
<li>Cook at 200°C for about 15mins.</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p25xMPfFRYU/USOp8Pywq1I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/d-e2kPJx9gU/s1600/SDC13466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p25xMPfFRYU/USOp8Pywq1I/AAAAAAAAA1Q/d-e2kPJx9gU/s640/SDC13466.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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They keep well in the fridge for a few days. They're great because they hold together when eating them and they have infinite variations. They can be a little tricky to get out of the tins, but are no less tasty for that.<br />
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I Highly recommend you have a go!<br />
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All content and images are © Chloe Cooter 2013.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-64266927465308503652013-02-24T11:06:00.000+00:002013-02-24T11:06:18.819+00:00Pincredible: Week 8A theme of colour palettes seemed to link my pins from this week, although I may have pinned them originally for another reason!<br />
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<a href="http://www.anyonecandecorate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/my-favorite-stores-all-in-one-place.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2iJcaj15oFg/UN9sFmOivtI/AAAAAAAAFxs/it56TrXKuSk/s640/2c.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Beige, tan, white and black.<br />
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<a href="http://zsazsabellagio.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/sparkle-sparkle-sweet.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec4.pinterest.com/550x/c5/75/e6/c575e69fd9ceb56712f0daf7ec2ce83b.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
Grey, white and gold.<br />
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<a href="http://lamaisondannag.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/ikea-stockholm-2013.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kpax1t3lg0Q/USIwixr3CII/AAAAAAAASa4/ktQU3re6e2Y/s640/IMG_1164.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
Black, white, brown, yellow, green.<br />
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<a href="http://blog.avago.com.au/food-drink/detox-for-spring/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://blog.avago.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/smoothie-board.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Slate with red, orange, yellow, green, purple and white.<br />
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Red, orange, various greens, grey and blue.<br />
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Black, grey-green and various purples.<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-71159041766884975072013-02-15T18:30:00.000+00:002013-02-15T18:48:37.448+00:00Wheat-free almost healthy cookies.My boyfriend and I aren't exactly romantic, and as such don't bother with the whole Valentines day thing. I do find it a bit on the weird side that on one day out of three hundred and sixty five of them we are supposed to lavish our partner with gifts to what? Prove our love? Meh. I say.<br />
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On the other hand the day before Valentines day this year we had a really lovely day together. Nothing special, to most people at least, just a lie in, pancakes for breakfast, a little bit of a bar crawl, a good chat about everything and nothing, and take away. Its the sort of bread and butter of 'romance' for most relationships that have made it past a couple of years I imagine. So on February 14th still feeling more than averagely pleased to have him in my life, I decided to make horribly romantified cookies as a sign of my love.<br />
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This was to prove more difficult than it sounds. It being a Valentines day bake, they had to be red or pink. I am wheat intolerant and try to avoid flour as best I can. We had very limited supplies in our cupboard and fridge. No butter for instance. I'm also trying to keep to healthy-ish and non-processed foods at the moment, that meant that food colouring was out among other things.<br />
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Healthy-ish oaty cookies<br />
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These cookies have no regular flour, no butter. They are hugely adaptable to your tastes. I went for beetroot to help provide colour, sultanas and maple syrup.<br />
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Ingredients: <br />
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100g Porridge oats<br />
40g Wheat free flour for un-shaped cookies. (Add an extra 100g if you want to shape them like I did. You can obviously use normal flour too if you want!)<br />
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1 egg<br />
1 banana<br />
1-2 tbsp honey/maple syrup/golden syrup<br />
1 tsp vanilla essance<br />
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110g sultanas<br />
50g grated beetroot <br />
sprinkling dessicated coconut<br />
small handful dried cranberries<br />
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(you could use crushed nuts of any variety, other dried fruits, grated carrot, chocolate, jam and so on!)<br />
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Method:<br />
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Mix all the dry ingredients. I added the extra flour at the end when I realised the mixture was too wet to shape.<br />
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Add the banana and mash in to the mix.<br />
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Add the syrup/honey. I used maple syrup, and could probably have used a little more than I did. I recommend tasting the mixture for sweetness before you add the egg (I was expecting the beetroot to supply more sweetness than it did!)<br />
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Add the vanilla and egg and mix together thoroughly.<br />
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If you've made shapeable cookies, pat out on to a floured surface and cut off sections to shape. The mix is still pretty gooey, nothing like a pastry dough.<br />
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Put on a tray with baking paper, and cook for about 15 minuets in a pre heated 180 degree oven.<br />
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These came out with a lovely rustic quality and a really delicate and great taste. Make sure you taste the mix before adding the egg to ensure you've added enough sweetness though, I ended up adding a sprinkling of brown sugar to help mine along a little. Have fun experimenting with different flavourings!<br />
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All images and content are © Chloe Cooter 2013.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-40458890142868074022013-02-14T14:37:00.000+00:002013-02-14T14:37:03.482+00:00Pincredible: Week 7.Over the last week I have had a planning session for a party my friend and I are hoping to hold in the summer. Lots of beautiful dresses, interesting textures and fabrics, masks, hair and make-up. Although the image is half way through the scene from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091369/?ref_=sr_3" target="_blank">Labyrinth</a> was the inspiration for the party!<br />
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<a href="http://johnrtitus.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/masquerade.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/550/cb/5f/37/cb5f377d31b6af6219c085eed286722c.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.beforethebigday.co.uk/2012/10/marie-antoinette-wedding-hen-party.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ropMiy-UFbk/UG3lGQ-QjMI/AAAAAAABV3c/8OLaWB6zATY/s640/Marie_Antoinette_Luxury_Wedding_Shoot_Pastel_Weddings_Ideas_Before_the_Big_Day_Wedding_Blog_004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.zimbio.com/Chantal+Thomass/articles/V1vDRPQHDVG/Gorgeous+Hair+Makeup+2012+Chantal+Thomass" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/imgx/2/1/0/4/4/2/4/1/large-21044241.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hope you enjoyed!<br />
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All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-67719834019633226072013-02-09T13:39:00.000+00:002013-02-09T13:39:31.597+00:00Gardening the blues away.So. I've been feeling blue lately. Ultra blue. And, I do mean in the sense of being down in the dumps not some artistically started paragraph about suddenly loving the blue paint on my lounge walls. There are plenty of reasons for this in my life right now, and my feeling of helplessness isn't helping me to do anything to change the way things are.<br />
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There is one thing though at the moment I'm finding motivation for. The garden. Following plans for The Resolution and Operation Garden I have been making head way in these cold and soggy winter months.<br />
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I have been planting seeds. Even though this is very early, some of them are germinating and making little plantlets. This is one of the best things in life I feel. Seeing that brand new plant that you started off. Some of these are from seeds I have collected and that is even more satisfying.<br />
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The hardwood cuttings I took a month or so back seem to be thriving. I can't wait to pot them on.<br />
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I (as is my way) have listed all the plants I have or can grow from seed. This I'm using to make a comprehensive planting plan. I can't wait to get some of my cuttings and seedlings in place so that I can start to see the blank canvas that is my garden start to come to life.<br />
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I went to the garden centre and hunted through the reduced sections. I love this area, the plants may only be past their season a little bit, but by choosing perennials you get next years plants half price! I picked up some Cyclamen, and a slightly mad purchase, a shrub that can grow to 25ft tall. Griselinia Variegata is an evergreen half-hardy plant, if I can protect it from cold and keep it pruned, I'm hoping it'll be a beautifully bright haven for wildlife.<br />
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I also bought a full price plant that I have been lusting over in someone else's garden recently. Having not had the balls to go up and take cuttings (even on my 2am post-work cycle home) I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy it when I saw it sitting there. Cornus sanguinea 'Winter Flame' is just a dogwood, but a spectacular one. Yellowy-gold at the base turning to firey-red at the top.<br />
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My garden is hardly a haven of rest and tranquillity at the moment, if you stand still too long you end up sinking about an inch in to the boggy, muddy lawn, but there is something infinitely pleasing about squatting down and seeing spring bulbs start to poke their heads through the soil, something restful and tranquil no less.<br />
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How do you alleviate the blues, or take the edge off when there's just too much to cope with?<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-24648467593612845062013-02-06T10:09:00.001+00:002013-02-06T10:09:37.378+00:00Pincredible: Week 6No theme this week!<br />
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<a href="http://www.surfaceview.co.uk/shop/walls/wall-sticker" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/550/c4/8b/07/c48b0763538edf5e3a8556d2c358ef20.jpg" width="370" /></a></div>
Wall stickers. I've been loving over sized flowers on walls for ages now. This one removes the need to paint it!<br />
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What an awesome little dude!<br />
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<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/inspiration-alissa-hunsaker-ph-78087" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec2.pinterest.com/550/33/31/9e/33319e17c8aa21ade0d1244c97630c7b.jpg" width="494" /></a></div>
Painting of a chandelier in a beautiful room anyone? Don't mind if I do!<br />
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<a href="http://0509ravenous.tumblr.com/post/22778609144" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3t81bh7HO1qm29d1o1_500.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Does this room make you think your under water too?<br />
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<a href="http://meandmybentley.tumblr.com/post/18988108218" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0loalsgva1qk9hrqo1_500.jpg" width="462" /></a></div>
Adore all the different textures and patterns. They work perfectly because there is almost no contrast of colour.<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-56188069799569084482013-02-05T17:27:00.002+00:002013-02-05T17:27:31.598+00:00Technorati<span class="status">Y8FNX4SYTGBX</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-68657516788361640442013-02-03T16:51:00.000+00:002013-02-03T16:51:04.692+00:00Slate and antique silver.My pincredible from these last two weeks was really inspiring to me, and as I mentioned at the end, I felt that the colour scheme would be really great for my bedroom. <br />
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My boyfriend and I share this space, although due to a recent re-shuffle only I use the room to store clothes. Not enough storage (or badly designed) and too many clothes. We both tend to leave a lot of mess around, my mess is mostly worn clothes that aren't dirty enough to wash yet, and my boyfriends mess is similar, but with more random rubbish thrown in. I hate it but there we are.<br />
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I have a nifty solution to the clothes part of the problem. I came up with this as an idea, but was going to make my own bag, and use something like a wire coat hanger bent in to shape. <a href="http://www.organizedmom.net/2012/01/3-laundry-hamper/" target="_blank">This</a> is a much quicker way, probably looks neater too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.organizedmom.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/hamper03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.organizedmom.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/hamper03.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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So on to the colour scheme.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u5pect0i5kg/UQ51RNCuAKI/AAAAAAAAAlM/LLP4jM8yDGo/s1600/bedrom+mood+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u5pect0i5kg/UQ51RNCuAKI/AAAAAAAAAlM/LLP4jM8yDGo/s640/bedrom+mood+board.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
(images are either mine or sourced from pinterest)<br />
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Deep slatey green-blue-grey and antique silver. Isn't it luxurious and sexy?<br />
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So this is my deeply un-sexy and tired looking bedroom as it is today (apologies for the dodgy panoramic view and mess!)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--wkW-uCdV9M/UQ6NIi4Jw0I/AAAAAAAAAlo/JapfDbdgEI0/s1600/DSC_0076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--wkW-uCdV9M/UQ6NIi4Jw0I/AAAAAAAAAlo/JapfDbdgEI0/s640/DSC_0076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is how it might look with all slatey walls (and tidy.) Beautiful matte walls. (I loathe satin finishes since living in this house!)<br />
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I tried a few other combos, just one or two walls painted, but I didn't like how they looked. Here is an attempt with silvery paint affect or wallpapered walls, so reversed from above essentially. I don't think it retains any of that den-like quality that the dark walls in the mood board above put across.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k2thjk8lmrI/UQ6NJG71dkI/AAAAAAAAAl8/C_ZCX49L2W8/s1600/DSC_00765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k2thjk8lmrI/UQ6NJG71dkI/AAAAAAAAAl8/C_ZCX49L2W8/s640/DSC_00765.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here I considered changing the lay out and furniture. I have a wooden bed frame, so thought about replacing the Ikea monstrosity we currently use, and moving the bed around. Not sure how this would work in terms of using the space, I'd have to plot it out to scale to see for sure, but I think it'll be fine since measuring it roughly. I like how it looks that way around in the sketch. I realised if I did that then I'd have two almost matching pieces of dark wooden furniture, So figured I could get some cheap side tables in a similar colour which would then start to tie the dark wood in to the rest of the room.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-teXstX-wvsE/UQ6NJvufSRI/AAAAAAAAAl4/cScFHgYoHIc/s1600/DSC_00767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-teXstX-wvsE/UQ6NJvufSRI/AAAAAAAAAl4/cScFHgYoHIc/s640/DSC_00767.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Add lots of fresh plants in terracotta and silvery pots, a couple of mirrors and/or paintings in antique frames, a little
texture in the form of bedding, full length curtains and rug. Get the right pendant light. Some nice mismatched vintage bedside lamps. Lots of little details using the inspiration from the mood board. I'd like to incorporate the old pearls, the tarnished threads, ribbons and trims. I love the look of tarnished mirror too.</div>
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What do you think? Workable and beautiful? Or dark and dingy?</div>
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-75667832804066179522013-02-01T15:54:00.000+00:002013-02-01T15:54:51.350+00:00Pincredible: week 4 & 5Blue slate and antique silver colours.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bUCWmYkGrhg/UGqmS8X_vuI/AAAAAAACDWo/f1J-RFxOn1k/s1600/Shapiro_kitchen-0048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bUCWmYkGrhg/UGqmS8X_vuI/AAAAAAACDWo/f1J-RFxOn1k/s640/Shapiro_kitchen-0048.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://poemabatsoilik.blogspot.de/?m=0" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5DLhvYBL0xU/UMp1Z7Wp1rI/AAAAAAAAOuY/xbKZu8fE5E0/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-11-09+at+15.29.35.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Feeling that this colour scheme would work really well in our bedroom. I stumbled across a bag of antique silver colour beads and trimmings in amongst some of my mums stuff that I was sorting out. Including tarnished pearls, it looked beautiful. Not sure how to apply this to my bedroom yet though... Must start thinking about a mood board.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-47587689933307715842013-01-21T22:10:00.000+00:002013-01-21T22:10:19.411+00:00Pincredible; week 3Slightly themed this week towards indoor/outdoor feeling spaces. Enjoy.<br />
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<a href="http://unexpectedinteriors.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/gerard-butlers-old-world-style.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fw-fPVwP1h8/TXodJN9wwKI/AAAAAAAAAOE/u3AwexP0h4k/s640/gerard+butler+main+redo+1.png" width="482" /></a></div>
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This last one doesn't conform to the theme, but is so beautiful I couldn't miss it out.<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-70562494453422340922013-01-15T13:04:00.000+00:002013-01-15T13:04:27.989+00:00Operation garden: Part 1Hands up if you think the garden is a part of the home? I think it is. Which is why I have a whole part of <a href="http://chimeraandthechloe.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/the-resolution.html" target="_blank">The Resolution</a> dedicated to it. In fact, it's probably the part I'm furthest ahead with!<br />
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First things first. The Plan. The plan is hugely important. I never thought it really was until I sat down at the beginning of this year and realised that the last 18 months that I have been living here, making improvements, I have not made much actual headway with the garden at all. I believe that this is down to the fact that I'd not written and drawn on to paper, something tangible for me to see; what I want the garden to be like.<br />
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Having never done a garden plan before I decided I knew best and spurned all the technical style drawings in books that clearly use such fads as tape measures, computers and possibly satellite mapping and geo-technical surveys. I started off by drawing a very rough birds eye view scribbley-sketch of the garden. I'm focusing on my back garden for the moment by the way. The front can wait.<br />
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I do realise that I am fairly arty and can sketch out a sqaure-ish plot of land with enough accuracy to be able to use it, if winging it isn't your style, squared paper and a tape measure are you friends. So, with the basic shape of the garden started I added all of the existing features that I cannot change, and then added in the planting that I'm not going to change.With that plotted, I could see exactly where I was starting from.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h8Vi-Xz4HLk/UPVE8p1g3sI/AAAAAAAAAis/pk-obPQ1BDM/s1600/gardeninitialsketch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h8Vi-Xz4HLk/UPVE8p1g3sI/AAAAAAAAAis/pk-obPQ1BDM/s640/gardeninitialsketch.png" width="568" /></a></div>
I have added the colour etc so that you can understand what's going on! <br />
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Next I thought about what I actually wanted from my garden. The things that topped my list were wildlife and a seating area. Maybe you want formal lines, vegetable beds, a jacuzzi? The possibilities are endless. My two focus areas meant that I could come up with a few ideas. For me it was very easy to narrow down because I have such a small space, and even less of that can be utilised due to lack of sunshine for most of the day.<br />
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I did a couple of new sketches focusing on hard landscaping choices. I tried to elongate the square space to make the garden seem bigger by creating an elliptical lawn shape across the diagonal. Once I was happy with the shapes in the garden and started leafing through books for planting ideas. As my soil is so damp, shaded and of such a heavy clay this narrows down what I can grow. I also did a mental tour around my Dad's garden, thinking what I wanted to take cuttings of, and what would work. If your having difficulties thinking of plants take a look at the <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/" target="_blank">Gardeners' World plant section</a>; the options at the top mean you can search for particular light or soil conditions which is ideal for a novice like me.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBJbGFDmKWI/UPVJxKgFwiI/AAAAAAAAAjs/UgArFD25QXQ/s1600/gardeninitialsketch2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FBJbGFDmKWI/UPVJxKgFwiI/AAAAAAAAAjs/UgArFD25QXQ/s640/gardeninitialsketch2.png" width="592" /></a></div>
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With all this in mind I sketched in the planting and other features in the garden. I wanted decking so that I could sit with out sinking in to my boggy lawn. I'm going to construct this for almost free by sourcing unwanted wood and palettes. I decided on having a long-grass area with naturalised bulbs, a small pond and a bird feeding area. I already had the compost bin and wood pile for bug and hedgehog habitat in place, so they're to stay put. Planting wise I have chosen a variety of plants for the reasons of height, scent, winter interest, and to create habitat & hide ugly fences.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7vOwmQ61Nbg/UPVLUwt8CQI/AAAAAAAAAkI/odWs9sax_aQ/s1600/gardeninitialsketch3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7vOwmQ61Nbg/UPVLUwt8CQI/AAAAAAAAAkI/odWs9sax_aQ/s640/gardeninitialsketch3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
This is the final design with planting notes. I say final, it has already changed in respect to plants and planting, but it is a great guide.<br />
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I have already done the hard landscaping. I have dug new borders in the shapes I designed. I have removed the border edging where it is not appropriate, I have marked out where the long grass and the deck will be, I've dug and sunk a pond in place and I have taken cuttings from my Dad's garden; <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/syringa-vulgaris-andenken-an-ludwig-spath/1252.html" target="_blank">Lilac</a>, <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/hydrangea-anomala-subsp-petiolaris/3356.html" target="_blank">climbing Hydrangea</a>, normal <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/hydrangea/3101.html" target="_blank">Hydrangea</a>, two different roses, one a <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/rosa-rhosyn-margaret-williams/3757.html" target="_blank">shrub rose</a> and one a <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/rosa-climbing-cecile-brunner/1043.html" target="_blank">rambler</a> (I think!) a <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/fuchsia-riccartonii/504.html" target="_blank">hardy Fuchsia</a>. I took cuttings from a <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/prunus-x-cistena/2296.html" target="_blank">Cherry tree</a>, <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/philadelphus-belle-etoile/2609.html" target="_blank">Orange blossom</a> and an upright blossom tree (not sure what it is!) I also dug up a small patch of <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/crocosmia-x-crocosmiliflora-venus/3812.html" target="_blank">Crocosmia</a>, a wild <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/primula-vulgaris/2322.html" target="_blank">Primrose</a>, a <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/primula-veris/2321.html" target="_blank">Cowslip</a>, a <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/geranium-kashmir-blue/1814.html" target="_blank">geranium</a>, and some <a href="http://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/hyacinthoides-hispanica/1102.html" target="_blank">bluebells</a>.
(Links are a rough approximation of what I took cuttings from, being
that I couldn't find the right cultivar, or that I don't know what the
plant will look like when it flowers! Especially so in the case of the
Hydrangea).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQrHupergm0/UPVPdkpx-GI/AAAAAAAAAko/f2ecGZsZmeg/s1600/gardeninitialsketch4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQrHupergm0/UPVPdkpx-GI/AAAAAAAAAko/f2ecGZsZmeg/s640/gardeninitialsketch4.png" width="480" /></a></div>
So, that is how it looks now! Yes I know, it really doesn't look like much, in fact its quite a mess, but you can see I've made a start!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2VNZW9wGvI/UPVPeJRt0HI/AAAAAAAAAks/HqkSnolF6Ig/s1600/gardeninitialsketch5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2VNZW9wGvI/UPVPeJRt0HI/AAAAAAAAAks/HqkSnolF6Ig/s640/gardeninitialsketch5.png" width="478" /></a></div>
The doodles are just to help you see what's going on!<br />
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The pond is a surprisingly simple affair. Last summer I bought a garden bin/trug thing, and some water weed, filled with water; voilà! Although it didn't achieve what I had hoped, i.e. that of attracting toads and beautiful flying beasties. I put this down to the lateness of the year, and the fact that it was sitting on the ground not sunken in to it. So, I emptied it out, dug a hole, and sunk the container down. I put some bricks (don't have any natural stones!) against the edge to the top to create a way out/habitat. I'm just waiting for the rain to finish filling it up now!<br />
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So that's the end of part 1! Part 2 is going to be focusing on the plants! <br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2013 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-59706125967335436222013-01-11T10:26:00.000+00:002013-01-11T10:26:15.369+00:00Pincredible: Weeks 1 & 2As mentioned in one of the previous posts, I have decided to finally implement regular posts, because I think it will work better than my attempt to astound everyone in the universe with my occasional blatherings!<br />
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Introducing Pincredible! A round up of my favourite or themed pins on <a href="http://pinterest.com/chloeandchimera/" target="_blank">Pinterest </a>of the week! As I was still planning my life out last week, I'll be doing two weeks in one this time around!<br />
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<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/169940585911232407/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec5.pinterest.com/upload/51932201923192143_QRXAP0WC_c.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
Just look at it! It's the best chicken coop in the world! I really really want this in my garden when I own that mansion one day!<br />
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<a href="http://m.tickld.com/t/23885" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.tickld.com/images/content/23885.jpg" width="513" /></a></div>
All you need is white cotton, some wadding, and a selection of coloured fabric markers. This is so ingenious, for little boys, or 20-something girls (!)<br />
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<a href="http://fashiion-gone-rouge.tumblr.com/post/21592559282/ralph-lauren-a-w-2012" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2wbyzjUHZ1qdsqp6o1_500.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
So decadent! So beautiful!<br />
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<a href="http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20644112_21235584,00.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://img2-2.timeinc.net/toh/i/g/12/houses/11-fit-family/06-fit.jpg" width="532" /></a></div>
I am in love with this room setting. I, as most adults I should think, don't like primary colours all together. It's like being in play group, and hurts the eyes. But this room pulls off that primary pallet perfectly, by muting them down and warming them up. The red and yellow have hints of orange in them both, and the blue has a lot of green. It's so sunny and warm and cosy and beautiful!<br />
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<a href="http://www.yatzer.com/The-Grounds-Caroline-Choker-Alexandria-australia" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://www.yatzer.com/assets/Article/2985/images/The-Grounds-of-Alexandria-Australia-Caroline-Choker-yatzer-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
I am aware than this is a cafe, I adore that central unit with the open shelves above. If I had the space and money, I would rig one up in my kitchen for sure.<br />
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<a href="http://smallrooms.tumblr.com/post/11394643233/diy-inspo-watering-can-fountain-via" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsyhevlUQV1qhhdqno1_500.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
Watering can fountain. Should I repeat that? Watering can fountain!! Amazing and ingenious!<br />
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<a href="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/196821446186487293_s8i9A39H_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache0.pinterest.com/upload/196821446186487293_s8i9A39H_c.jpg" width="576" /></a></div>
Kids quite literally have all the luck. Although, I can almost knit properly, and I can certainly sew. NEED an ewok cowl.<br />
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<a href="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/219972763018857658_TLKOTgRb_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://media-cache-ec3.pinterest.com/upload/219972763018857658_TLKOTgRb_c.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
Such a beautiful dress.<br />
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<a href="http://elemenop.tumblr.com/post/35199675990/wasbella102-via-mossy-garden-a-photo-from" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mawy5pCrNh1qhxnalo1_500.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
Simply a beautiful photograph. So green!<br />
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<a href="http://geektyrant.com/news/2012/5/19/art-deco-dc-superheroes-by-dave-ault.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://geektyrant.com/storage/2011-post-images/tumblr_m4897t2wd31r6amdjo1_1280.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1337395939753" width="456" /></a></div>
Last up, a bit of Art Deco super hero art.<br />
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That's the end of Weeks 1 & 2 Pincredible! Hope you liked it!<br />
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All images are © Chloe Cooter 2012 unless image links to another website. All images that are not © Chloe Cooter will be linked to the source (if possible) and credited in that way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6790256873718936534.post-89497759606529324272013-01-08T11:38:00.000+00:002013-01-08T11:38:40.022+00:00The ResolutionI am a little unsure about calling my plans for 2013 resolutions to be honest with you. New Years Resolution, almost by default, means something you try and then fail at. Dreadful as it is to say, I suspect that almost no one keeps to their resolutions for more than a month, some times an awful lot less. I know I never have. But then again, I have always tried to do something that appears to be huge, that I don't particularly want to do, such as losing 4 stone, which then naturally means eating no cake. Losing 4 stone is a scarily big amount! And I really like cake.<br />
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This year I have a scarily huge list of pretty small things, almost all of which I actually want to do, and if I don't want to do them as such, then I really want the result. I am hoping that many small achievable things will be an easier goal to achieve than one massive unrealistic thing to strive for.<br />
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I'm not going to share the entire list with you, but I will sketch out the main areas.<br />
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<b>Home</b><br />
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Primarily organizing, tidying, cleaning and then decorating.<br />
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<b>Garden</b><br />
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My garden isn't quite a blank canvas, but it has no design to it, and it's mostly empty of plants. Going to remedy this. Also going to grow some more fruit and veg this year too.<br />
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<b>Chloe and the Chimera</b><br />
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Going to be approaching selling my products in a different way this year, and also develop other areas of the business.<br />
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<b>Money</b><br />
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Sorting out my finances. Streamlining and saving.<br />
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<b>Other Business</b><br />
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My partner and I are going to be developing some ideas together for things that we can turn in to 'our future'.<br />
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<b>Body & Soul </b><br />
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The aim here is fitness and health. Although I have a final weight in mind, I am currently focusing on getting fitter, improving muscle tone, eating seasonally and fresh, cutting out as much processed and refined foods as possible. I also want to improve myself mentally in a variety of ways, from learning new things to sorting out my perception of myself and my life.<br />
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I made a start on many of these areas when I did a post on <a href="http://chimeraandthechloe.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/4-simple-goals-before-2013.html" target="_blank">4 simple goals to do before 2013</a>. I mostly set my brain in the right direction rather than physically achieving these though, and although that doesn't sound like much, it's a huge leap in a way. I'm proud of how far I managed to go with these goals; I did all the ground work essentially for this list I'm working on now. I'm not proud of my lack of updates here though which is something I plan to address (see below.)<br />
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But I have begun on this enormous list. I have done a tonne of work in the garden; I've done a plan, and quite a bit of hard landscaping in preparation. I have attacked piles of paperwork that have been sitting about waiting to be dealt with for a year or more: this I think is good for both the house and my mind. I have organised my garage (workshop) in order to get back to work out there for Chloe and the Chimera. And, I have begun eating more healthily, and I've been exercising daily (oh and how I ache.)<br />
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I don't think I have ever been so proactive!<br />
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As hinted at, also on the list (under the Chloe and the Chimera heading) is so sort out this blog. As I mentioned when I first started it, I don't feel too confidant about my blogging abilities. I worry constantly about the lack of imagery I put in to posts, and when I do put my own images in, I worry about the quality. I worry about the tone, the quality of writing, the readership and blah de blah de blah. Which is all totally stupid isn't it? Blogs are supposed to be a personal expression aren't they? But I don't think a little structure will hurt. I am going to try to start regular posts, nothing too mental, seeing as I am addicted to pinterest (along with half the world) I might post my favourite pins of the week here (again, along with half of the world), I think I am also going to do regular updates of my resolutions list under the above headings. I going to put some effort in to planning another couple of regular posts to do to keep me on track too!<br />
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So there we have it. It looks like this is going to be one hell of a year for me!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16939229807734321812noreply@blogger.com0