Happy 4th of July!

As an American living in England, every 4th of July (and Thanksgiving)

I like to think of something fun and "American" 

to take into the school staff room for my colleagues. 

This is my last term at school, so I want to make something really special based on 

The Classic S'mores Recipe.

"No one knows for sure who invented the s'more. However, the first published recipe for “some mores" was in a 1927 publication called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. Loretta Scott Crew, who made them for Girl Scouts by the campfire, is given credit for the recipe."

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-are-they-called-s-mores

I think I have FINALLY found the PERFECT recipe from The Brown Eyed Baker : S'mores Bars.

I'll have to substitute the traditional graham crackers with digestive biscuits 

but I'm know they will be wonderful!

I even have the PERFECT Martha Stewart apron to wear -

a gift from my lovely sister Michelle, purchased last summer on Cape Cod.

 For more information, the recipe & to see the bars, go to:

S'mores Bars | Brown Eyed Baker: 

"These s'mores bars boast a thick graham crust, a fudgy milk chocolate layer, 

and are topped with toasted marshmallows, of course!"

Too Good to be True: World Baking Day & ETSY!

Another BIG thank you to Didi LouCrafts for curating another Etsy Treasury and including us!!

Her Treasury is called "World Baking Day" and lots of really lovely items are listed. 

I'm feeling inspired to do a bit of baking now.

Hmmm..... corn bread anyone?

 

May 17th World Baking Day by Didi Lou https://t.co/H3s5wGolZ5
One of our Frome River Studio aprons is on it! pic.twitter.com/EmKMnUgHPf

— sharon mcewen-moore (@sharonsaysoo) May 17, 2016

We love Etsy Treasuries!

We would like to thank

curator  Didi Lou from DidiLouCraftson at Etsy for including Primrose Dalliance At Frome River Studios on the Treasury:

"Talented 3: Put it on" 

 "Clothing of various sorts from talented makers."

Didi Lou creates a range of items and has been crafting for many years and yesterday she curated 10, at last count, new Treasuries!!!

Didi Lou very kindly included our apron, "Retro Flowers"  

and we are so pleased she did!

 

 Why not pop over to Etsy today and have a look at the Treasury and all the amazing, creative people there??

A Flock of Spring Birds

 Artist Lara Broecke from Cenninion on Etsy 

has curated a new Treasury -

 A Flock of Spring Birds 

"Paintings, prints, cards and cushions, boxes, books, aprons and plant pots. Buy them all with birds and then wrap them in hand-printed hummingbird paper. Beautiful presents for Spring birthdays and celebrations."  

 

Fly over and and see all the lovely work created by 16 talented Etsy artists!

 

 Laura very kindly included our apron,"A Little Bird Told Me"

Fabric Heaven - Frida's Garden

I fell in love with this Frida Kahlo fabric by Alexander Henry last summer but I waited too long and by the time I was ready to buy it at my local fabric shop, it was gone. The shop owner said that they were waiting for more to come in so I waited too, but it still hasn't arrived. I finally managed to buy a it on-line but  it's so popular that I had to settle for just a little.

 I think I have enough to make a couple of cushions - it's almost too nice to cut!

 Follow sharon's board Beautiful Frida on Pinterest.

Happy Valentines Day!

Catch of the Day

It may be snowing on the East Coast of America but I am already dreaming 

of returning there this Summer!

Do you like lobster?  I LOVE it.

Every August, I get to escape to Cape Cod 

and stay with my lovely sister Michelle and her family,

 and every August, my wonderful brother in-law Tom, spoils me with feasts of  lobster. 

We two sit on the back deck with cold beer and drawn butter waiting for the lobsters to 

finish cooking in the enormous lobster pot.

I am a lucky girl - and I know it.

My wonderful, vintage lobster crackers
 purchased at Sandwich Bazaar & Flea Market, Cape Cod, MA 

Michelle and I spend happy hours scouring flea markets and vintage shops

 hunting for treasure.

I always find beautiful vintage aprons and we both love old cookbooks.

A recent find was a book entitled,

 Peter Hunt's Cape Cod Cookbook: 

 A Cape Cod Treasury of favorite recipes illustrated by the author.

 Although his contemporaries say he was a terrible cook, Peter Hunt pulled together a marvelous mélange of recipes from all over Cape Cod for his Cape Cod Cookbook: A Cape Cod Treasury of Favorite Recipes Illustrated by the Author, published by Hawthorn Books Inc. in 1954.

RECIPES FROM THE COOKBOOK:

     Lobsters
     Real Cape Codders are interested in lobster only two ways- boiled or broiled.

     Boiled
     Personally, I think a boiled lobster retains the subtle taste of the sea best. And it's no chore at all to drop the lobster into a pan in which there is an inch or two of boiling water. Cover, and let it boil rapidly until it turns a brilliant red all over.  Usually 15 to 20 minutes is enough but, of course, it all depends on the size of the lobster.
      I prefer them about 1 1/2 pounds.  They are more succulent and tender this size.  Split down the middle, crack the large claws and serve with drawn butter.

     Broiled
     Split alive and remove the "craw sac" that is just in back of the head and the dark intestinal canal that runs through the body.  Pack with bread crumbs and lumps of butter, and broil - preferably over charcoal - for about 20 minutes.  Decorate with parsley and serve with drawn butter and quartered lemons.

Illustration from the book by American folk artist  Peter Hunt (1896 - 1976)
For more information visit,  Peter Hunt &   Peasant Village 

Catch of the Day  apron See this and all our aprons  at our  ETSY shop - Frome River Studios.

Handmade Hang Tags for our Aprons

 It's a rainy day today. It's also Half Term which means that instead of going to school today and tomorrow, I can listen to BBC Radio 6  with  Elsa Von Schnitzel, and sew. I love teaching part time but I also love spending time at home with my trusty Bernina.

Elsa on the sofa under her favourite blanket.

So instead of thinking about Phonics today, I am happily making hang tags for our aprons.

The tags are heart shaped-of course!-and made from linen and embroidered in a range of colours to complement each apron. 

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year - Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have launched our Etsy Page!

Thank you to all of  our family and friends for helping to make our dream come true!

                                                   Visit us at Frome River Studios

Primrose Dalliance - in the Studio

We began making our kitchen range for friends and family and organizing Christmas Bazaars at home, selling our products to raise money for local charities. We were so encouraged by the compliments we received that we decided to dip our toes a little further into the small pool we had already created and see how big a pond was waiting for us! What could be more fulfilling for best friends? We found that most people wanted well-made items that were not mass-produced. All our products are made in our kitchen-table studios, using fabric printed in England and, wherever possible, our haberdashery is locally made too.

We've got lots more designs and products up our sleeves, so keep looking!

The sun streams through the window as we sit working in our usual spots at

 Frome River Studios.