Homemade Presents

I got home from work this evening and there was a small package waiting for me.

I love post. Love post. It's very exciting when it's something that doesn't look as though it's bills related it. I opened it and was so surprised to see what was inside. 'Home Sweet Home' hearts from my friend Katie!!

Possibly the most beautiful house-warming gift I have ever received. Ever. I love them. The stitching, the buttons, the little charm on the second 'home' heart. So beautiful that I put them up in a prime position. On the side of my bookcase - visible for all to see and matching perfectly with the decorative items that sit proudly on display.

Personal gifts mean more to me than anything that a person could buy. They say 'I thought about you enough to put time and effort into something'.

In fact, only today I was looking in Velvet and saw things similar to this. I think I'm going to get some lavender out of the garden and make some lavender stuff hearts. I'm going to pretty this house up bit by bit.

And give out some lovely presents with all the extras that I make.

The Brighton Festival

Serving Ware

I love dishes. And bowls. And glasses. And cake stands.

Number 1 reason is because they look so pretty! But the second reason is because they hide the packaging.

I don't like packaging. I don't like handing out bags of crisps to guests and getting them to dip their tortilla chips into a plastic pot of guacamole.

Serving ware is the ultimate way of making something that is cheap look presentable and thought out. I think a nice tray is a great investment - especially if your kitchen and livingroom isn't open plan. Imagine how nice it would be for you if you went to a friends house, and instead of her holding a bottle of wine under one arm and wine glass stems between all fingers, she walked in with a tray full of glasses poured and ready to drink. It costs about a fiver and makes a great impression for your guests, time and time again.

Shopping Lists

I like to do an online shop before actually heading out to the supermarket.

This sounds a bit strange, but it really does save me money. I try not to set a budget straight away, but instead flick through my recipe books and decide on what to have throughout the week. I like to vary what I eat and find that preparing a menu means that we don't have pasta twice in a row, or five days in a week with meals containing tinned tomatoes.

I aim to not repeat a dish with each of these ingredients more than twice a week: rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, gnocchi. Otherwise it feels as though we've had no variation.

Then I go online and price up everything I need to buy. The good thing about doing this is that you see exactly how much you need to spend - and don't add in the naughty temptations. I then look at the amount it costs and allow myself to round up to the nearest £5. Then I go through and find any treats I'd like.

It makes you realise that you're not going to need the 2-for-£7 pizzas, and buy not buying the 2nd, you've probably got another £3 to spend on some ice-cream, or a bottle of wine, instead. Are you really going to use all the parmesan in that tub? Or are you better saving that 50p and just buying the small packet?

Remember - the shops want us to spend more. Don't deny yourself treats but don't buy things you don't need and will eventually waste.

I like to do my menu for the week on a Saturday afternoon. It's the one time of the week I get to myself and I curl up on my sofa with Saturday Kitchen on the telly and my recipe books strewn all over the floor. It's not at all stressful. Quite the opposite in fact. And looking at all those pictures in the books gets you really excited about the great food you'll be eating next week - and because you'll be looking forward to it, and know exactly what you're doing, you'll be less likely to think *eugh, I don't know what to do for dinner.... let's just get a chinese*... and blow £15.

Go Veggie

Last year, I watched a programme that changed the way I viewed meat.

I am not a vegetarian, nor am I going to write a lecture on how eating meat is bad. I love meat, and I will eat it. But now I've learnt that I don't have to eat it every day.

I have never liked the thought of cheap meat, but Britain's Really Disgusting Food made me make up my mind 100% that it was not something I would eat ever again. The thought of Mechanically Reclaimed Meat and other equally gross animal parts in foods made me want to be sick a little, and still does. I cannot go anyway near processed meats and bottom of the range choices.