365 Simplicity – 48

Tags

365 simplicity, baz lhurmann, mascara wand, wear sunscreen

What is the line in that Baz Luhurmann song? Don’t read beauty magazines?

I saved this mascara wand in the foolish hope that it would improve a mascara I’d bought but wasn’t very keen on. It didn’t, of course.

365 Simplicity – 47

Tags

365 simplicity, changing of the guard, lamy safari

You know I’m getting serious about this 365 Simplicity with the next one…

I love this pen, it’s a Lamy Safari with an italic nib (0.5 I think). If you ever want to become sucked into the world of fountain pens, buy a Safari. They’re gorgeous, affordable and come in a wide range of very tempting colours.

This one, after years of abuse, leaks like crazy. I’ve tried having it repaired, but nothing seems to help. I also don’t use it very much, since I have two other very nice pens which have somewhat superseded it. I’ll miss it though…

 

A Little Bit Crunchy

Tags

better breakfast, can't leave a recipe alone, homemade granola, lower sugar granola recipe

In the spirit of doing things myself, I’ve been making granola for about a year.

The original recipe I had was a combination of several internet sources (heavily edited towards the nut-free bias in our family), and looks a little like this:

Granola

4 cups (a generous pound) of oats

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup golden syrup or honey

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

 

The recipe said to combine the dry ingredients and mix well. Then you combined the liquids, poured them over the dry ingredients and googie-d them around with your fingers.

This seemed like an awful faff to me, especially the measuring of oils and syrups and essences. Plus, it was very sweet, and I have a sneaking distrust of golden syrup (but I can’t articulate why). Honey tastes odd to me, so I didn’t want to use it exclusively.

What I wanted was something I could feel moderately good about eating every day (in terms of sugar and fat content) and that didn’t make me stick to the kitchen once a week (which is about how often we need to make it).

So I would like to unveil my new and modified granola recipe:

Modified Rapture Everyday Granola

4 cups oats

several good slugs of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger or whatever comes to hand (I don’t recommend paprika)

a pinch of salt

1/2 cup of brown sugar or a mixture of brown, white and/or demerara sugars

1/4 cup water plus a bit of liquid sugar (maple syrup, honey etc)

a dash of vanilla

olive oil sufficient to grease a roasting tin generously

Season the oats to taste with spices and salt. Put sugar, water (optional liquid sugar) and vanilla in a pan and heat until syrupy. Grease roasting tin (don’t forget the sides), pour the oats in and add the sugar mixture. Googie them about until you get clusters sufficient to your requirements. Bake at 160 degrees C for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning.

Allow to cool and add dried fruit of your choice. Serve, feeling virtuous.

 

365 Simplicity – 46

Tags

365 simplicity, glass nail files, this is only important to me

I’m searching for the Holy Grail…of nail files.

I hate snaggy fingernails (I have been known to use the brick wall in my old ballet studio if I was desperate), and I’ve been searching for years for the perfect nail file.

I know I like glass ones better than cardboard ones, but my favourite ones are £7 and they have a nasty habit of snapping in my bag, so I was looking for a more sturdy alternative. This was a ceramic one, which had a nice little cover, but wasn’t much in the filing department.

It’s current replacement is a pound shop glass one, which is at least less of a financial investment.

I’d say I’d keep you posted, but I can’t imagine that anyone cares about this as much as I do…

365 Simplicity – 45

Tags

365 simplicity, it sounded like such a good idea, wine bottle holders

Another sneaky one…

Gift bags are more environmentally friendly than wrapping paper, but only if you give people bottles of wine. Which apparently, we don’t.

365 Simplicity – Item 44

Tags

365 simplicity, is it really this easy?

A bit like towels (which reminds me, I’ve been meaning go to through our towel collection), we struggle to get rid of sheets. Because they’re inherently useful, unless you never use them.

365 Simplicity – Items 42-43

Tags

365 simplicity, unitaskers, wine bottle holders

Wine bottle holders…I only seem to buy one bottle at a time.

365 Simplicity – Items 39-41

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365 simpl, shopping bags, too much of a good thing

I love a re-usable shopping bag. So much so that I can hardly bear to pass one up.

But I only have so many arms, and since Agatha has simplified my shopping, I figured I could do without a few of them.

365 Simplicity – Item 38

Tags

365 simplicity, a bear of very little brain, filing

I think I am slowly beginning to understand myself.

My wish to be tidy can only be fulfilled when it involves minimum effort, and when there is a solution for all the loose ends.

My new system is just to put bulldog clips on the walls to hold everything. It’s like filing, but without that inconvenient opening and closing of drawers.

365 Simplicity – Item 37

Tags

365 simplicity, tea what?, unitaskers

Sometimes stuff is useful, but not for a problem you have…