Sunday at home.

I'm sitting by the fire, on this dark Monday evening, reflecting on the lovely day I had yesterday.  It was a 'home' day, nothing remarkable happened, but it was special in its contented domesticity.  

The day started with breakfast with my husband, and then, whilst he visited his Mother, I made a pan of winter vegetable soup for lunch.

This was simply a base of onions, carrots and celery, to which I added parsnips and a swede.  I added some organic vegetable stock, garlic, and a teaspoon of ground cumin.  Seasoned with black pepper, I simmered it until the vegetables were tender and then whizzed it all with my stick blender.  I ate mine with a sprinkle of chilli flakes on top!

To go with it I made some seeded bread.  I used my favourite mix of 50% stoneground wholemeal and 50% extra strong white bread flour.  I like seeds in my bread, plus they are good in so many ways, so to 500g of flour I add half a cup of mixed seeds, including sunflower, pumpkin, poppy, linseed and sesame. I also add a large teaspoon of oat bran.  I increase the amount of yeast slightly, as all those seeds weigh it down!

Whilst I was in the kitchen I prepped all the vegetables for our evening meal, as it does make cooking later on a doddle!

In the midst of all this activity I replaced the charcoal filter in the lid of my compost bin.  These are really expensive to buy for what they are, so I purchase a sheet of the carbon filter that is sold for cooker hoods, (I think this one cost me all of £5!)  Simply use the old one as a template and cut around it with scissors.  I can get loads cut from one sheet, so it works out much, much cheaper.

After lunch I headed up to my sewing room, (it's almost finished!) and did a bit of Christmas sewing.  My daughter is very fond of dragons (don't ask...) and so I machine appliqued some tea towels for her new home...

The dragon was a pattern from Designs by Juju.  She has some lovely patterns, instantly downloadable, plus very good sale prices!

I also made another tea napkin (I'm building up a set), from another of her sets.

Whilst I was in my sewing room heaven, I trimmed the threads on another towel I had made for our downstairs loo.  This was a pattern by Anita Gooddesign, which are available in the UK from several places, including Lord's Sewing, a fantastic, family owned business, from where I buy my sewing machines, stabilisers, threads, as well as the Anita Gooddesign patterns.  

This was to go with one I made a few weeks ago...

Whilst I was immersed in embroidery threads and stabiliser, DH was in the living room, putting up the Christmas Tree.  He is so much better at this than I am so I leave him to it!

We had our dinner by our lovely Christmas Tree, with logs crackling merrily on the fire.  Perfect.

After dinner I finished a thread crochet bookmark I was making for my friend.  

It was such a perfect winter Sunday, and I enjoyed every minute, and felt quite productive too!

Donna x