‘Making Winter’ by Emma Mitchell – A Review – In a Vase on Monday 19 November 2018

I’m getting set for Winter here in Manchester – a biting East wind was buffeting Manchester and sky looked like we were stuck inside a Tupperware bowl. V grey 🙁  Time to get ready for Winter… blankets, soups and stews, making objects and food for Christmas – my husband was muttering about making a fruitcake – and Hygge…

This word has been all over the internet for the last few years but there’s a lot more to it than you’d imagine…

Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special. – Alex at www.hyggehouse.com/hygge

Alex (who has a Danish Mum and a French Dad) writes that Hygge isn’t really about ‘objects’ or ‘food’ it’s a state of ‘being’, being in the present, taking life a bit more slowly, spending time with friends/family, forming memories… This resonates with me.  Do have a look around her blog as she has some good suggestions for the ‘slower’ life.

salvia petunia wallflower bee jug with a hygge sign

Time to get a little ‘hygge’

Here’s the full list on this lovely print 🙂

Time to get a little ‘hygge’
Woolly blankets and thick socks – Yes
A mug of hot chocolate and with cream and marshmallows – well a lacto-free one would go down very well right now
Creating future memories – yes, we are making plans for December, Christmas, and January (a trip to London)
Blazing logs – no fire in our house but there are plenty in the country pubs in Lancashire 
Preparing a favourite recipe – Christmas fruitcake?
Taking a Nap – yes we all know #selfcare matters
Closing the curtains – the thick winter curtains are up 🙂
Belly laughs – always 😉
Reading by candlelight – Always candles in our house anytime of year 
Evenings with friends – Bring them on 🙂

So what are you doing to get a little ‘hygge‘?

Salvia, petunia, wallflower and snapdragon with a bee jug. 19 November 2018

In a Vase on Monday – salvia, petunia, wallflower and snapdragon

I ran out around the garden looking for flowers – it was surprising how many flowers were still around… as I’ve said before the weather this year has been so odd this year.  I picked a bright, summery vase too because I saw a couple of bees around the front garden at the weekend (when it was warmer).  Here are my flowers:

• petunias – dark purple and purple with a yellow edge 🙂
  • Six on Saturday – out and about around my garden – 11 August 2018 – it’s  Petunia ‘Cascadia Rim Magenta’.
• snapdragon – this lovely white one arrived in a pot last week when our neighbour moved away.  He’s a lovely guy and we’ll miss him very much, but moving is definitely the right thing for him.   We’ll still be meeting up though and I have a feeling he’ll be drinking wine in our garden next summer 😉
• salvia – a red dwarf one and Armistead (purple!) – both appeared before:
  • Dreaming of Cornwall – pink pelargonium, salvia, fuchsia – In a Vase on Monday – 15 October 2018
  • Fuchsias, salvia, hydrangeas, potentilla – Six on Saturday – 22 September 2018
• wallflower – purple perennial wallflower – it has been flowering all year long! check out the hashtag #wallflower

The Vase looks as if it was picked in late September not November.   There are some hardy fuchsia flowers around still so they may make it into next week’s vase… but we’ll see what the weather brings this weekend. Snow on the hills around Manchester for definite 😉

Jug

The jug is made by Sophie Allport (www.sophieallport.com/uk/);  I bought it on our first visit to The Lost Gardens of Heligan in 2015. It has a quote inside the rim (Busy, busy bumble bee). This jug has appeared before too:

• In a Vase on Monday -bee kind this spring – 27 March 2018 (in deep snow) and a reminder to #bekind

Lensbaby photo – Trio 28 sweet

I thought you’d like to see the same vase taken with my ‘Lensbaby’ – central focus and softer edges.  I’m pleased with this photograph.

salvia, petunia, snapdragon, and a wallflower with a bee jug 19 November 2018 – taken with Lensbaby Trio 28 – sweet

Note – this photo is my copyright so please don’t use or download it

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As usual, I am joining Cathy from Rambling in the Garden – this week she has some Viburnum in an ikebana-style arrangement (Japanese).  There are some glorious arrangements around the world – Spring in the southern hemisphere too.

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Making Winter – A Creative Guide for Surviving the Winter Months
By Emma Mitchell  – A Review

I bought this book in 2017, and I’ve dipped in a bit last winter, making a couple of recipes, but my focus was on getting healthier. It gets a mention here:

• In a Vase on Monday – a cold, snowy, Salford Spring – 17 March 2017

However, I wanted to write a proper review.  The short answer is – I really love this book.  It’s a beautiful book with stunning photography and drawings.

Emma writes about living in Fens, the countryside, changing of the seasons and collecting wildflowers and plants from her daily walks.  She also writes about how nature, being outdoors and crafting have helped her mental health and wellbeing.  I can’t tell you how much this chimes with me.   Emma also writes about the science – serotonin.

The book has recipes, crochet patterns, making hawthorn gin, wreaths, and drawing/paintings – each has stunning clear photographs and instructions.  Everything I’ve tried has worked fine.  Even though I’m, not a crocheter, my pals who are said these patterns are fairly straightforward to do – with clear stitch instructions.

I’m feeling the need to make some plum, orange and ginger blondies:-)

Silver Clay

There’s a section on silver clay too – how to make jewellery pendants using leaves and other natural materials.  I loved making a silver clay pendant when I was at Denman College in October, with my Mum.

• Denman College – Women’s Institute – Six on Saturday – 13 October 2018

I’ve booked to go back in January for another course 🙂 excited 🙂

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• I see on Instagram that Emma has a new book out in January 2019 – it’s called The Wild Remedy: How Nature Mends Us – A Diary
• you can follow Emma on Instagram (@silverpebble2)

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Emma’s book reminded me I need to start reading Nigel Slater’s Christmas Chronicles – full of recipes and preparation for Christmas and mid-winter.  I need to look out our Booth Christmas book (get our food order in) and then re-read the mighty Nigella – we saw her ‘In Conversation’ a couple of weeks ago – she was as fabulous as you’d imagine 🙂

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So what are you doing to ‘get Hygge’?
Have you read Emma’s Book? if you have – what did you think?
Do you any Autumn crafting?
Do you do anything special at this time of year? or is it all full speed for Christmas? 

Carpe Diem

Love Bec xxx xxx