Category: Hallowe’en

Happy Hallowe’en

A house is never still in darkness to those who listen intently; there is a whispering in distant chambers, an unearthly hand presses the snib of the window, the latch rises. Ghosts were created when the first man awoke in the night.

The Little Minister, JM Barrie

@lickedspoon Hallowe’en, Home Stuff 8 Comments October 30, 2011July 17, 2018

Lickedspoon Instagram

Tourte de blettes, chard tart, with a little apple, goat's cheese and olive oil splashed over the top, just ready to go into the oven. Another lovely recipe from @carolinecraig's Provence cookbook. When I crush on a cookbook, I crush hard. #recipesfromalondonkitchen #cookingforreallife #recipesfromafrenchkitchen #chard #provence #frenchcooking #FrenchFood #vegetarian

And this month's easiest pudding award goes to: this lemon curd and raspberry bread and butter pudding - the recipe is from this month's @deliciousmag. Because I used bought lemon curd, it took all of 10 minutes to put together (plus sitting and cooking time, but that required minimal effort on my part) and not a crumb was left. #recipesfromalondonkitchen #cookingforreallife #breadandbutterpudding #raspberries #deliciousmagazine

Been making this lovely, easy gratin from @carolinecraig's Provence cookbook all summer long - layers of onions, potatoes and tomatoes baked with chicken or veg stock, olive oil, bay leaves and seasoned well with salt and pepper. So simple and good and goes with pretty much everything. #recipesfromalondonkitchen #cookingforreallife #recipesfromafrenchkitchen #gratin #vegetarian

The nicest feeling: waiting for friends to arrive. #recipesfromalondonkitchen #cookingforreallife #weekendcooking

For days now, I have been thinking about leek pudding. It was a favourite dish of my northern childhood and takes me straight back to primary school, where the cooks used to make it like a jam rolypoly, with the leeks rolled up in the suet pastry. Yesterday, I could resit temptation no longer, so made this one. I added Colman's mustard powder and some grated strong Cheddar to the suet crust and used some shredded ham hock and lots (and lots) of leeks in the filling. So comforting and good and really very easy - the two-hour simmer really does most of the delicious-making work for you. #recipesfromalondonkitchen #recipesfrommylondonkitchen #cookingforreallife #suetpudding #leekpudding #northerncooking #autumncooking

For today's @telegraph, I wrote about chore wars - how we divide our domestic responsibilities and why it's never just about the crumbs. Why women who work full time still do more housework than their male partners, how we are not naturally better at multi-tasking, and why male "dirt blindness" is not a real thing. #talesfromdomesticlife #housekeeping #cleaning

I loved writing this piece for August's @deliciousmag about cooking with friends. I have forged more friendships side-by-side at the stove than I can count. The highs, the lows, the laughter... #cookingwithfriends #recipesfromalondonkitchen #cookingforreallife

Saturday night in with friends. The best. #saturdaynight #friends #summer

Last night, my friend @romygill made a beautiful dinner at my house to celebrate the launch of her first cookbook, Zaika, out on September 5, available for preorder now. It's filled with delicious, uncomplicated recipes and also matches everything in my house. #zaika #romygill #vegan #veganrecipes #vegancookbook

I tell you what's delicious - dirty puddle water. #dirtypuddlewater #dandiedinmont #dandiedinmontterrier #dogsofinstagram #dogsoflondon

Declutter Instagram

Loved writing this piece for @telegraph this weekend. Decluttering doesn't have to rip your heart out, you don't need to roll everything into tiny balls and you don't have to get rid of all of your books (if you don't want to). You can take it at your own pace. In fact, if you want your clutter mountain to go and stay gone, I think it is essential that you do. How are you doing? Just starting on your decluttering? Moving right along with getting things out of the house? What are your January goals? Mine is to take stock of our cellar, where it's all to easy to stash things and then forget about them if I'm not careful. #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein #newyear

Successful decluttering is all about refining and editing and ensuring your home reflects your current needs and tastes. Just because you loved something last year, doesn't mean you love it today. For me, my best stealth weapon against the clutter creeping back in is the #totebagtrick. Hang a tote on the door handle in each room and as you go about your daily bustle, drop into it things you're done with. At the end of the week, take it - bag and all - to the charity shop. Obviously, discard anything that's worn out or rubbish, but try to resist if possible the temptation to look back in the bag. And get it out of the house. Don't wait until you have a massive haul. For me at least, little and often is the key to success. What are you getting rid of today? #toteitandtossit #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein

I'm relaxing a little after completing the #30daydeclutterchallenge, but if I know anything at all about anything at all, it's that it's important to keep moving forward. I will keep you posted with all of the best things I've learned about achieving a decluttered home, and nurturing the home you're in, taking pleasure in it wherever you are in your decluttering process. Do keep sharing your stories. Love hearing them. #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein

DECLUTTER CHALLENGE: DAY 30 Drrrrrrrrrumroll What's on the bench of doom today? In the final day of my part of this experiment (I know some of you are not quite at day 30 yet, but do keep going and do keep checking in), I've added more magazines, more books and a back massager seat thing. I am dying to get all of this out of the house. I find it quite stressful having it all there, reminding me of my old, overwhelmed ways. I'll recycle what can be recycled, give away some of it to friends and take the rest to the charity shop. I wonder between us how many kilos we've discarded in the past 30 days? How much lighter we all are? And we're just getting started. I have lots of other tips and ideas to share about easy ways to ditch the unlovely and unloved in the coming weeks. Thank you all for sharing your wonderful #30daydeclutterchallenge stories. I've loved them and laughed along with you at them and been uplifted by them. What are you getting rid of today? #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein

Before I decluttered my house, the corners of this little sitting room were stacked high with magazines, baskets of craft stuff and other, random bits and pieces not conduisive to a calm and happy life. Now it's just right (for me, what's just right for you might be more or less filled with things), it's where I sit and read, daydream, relax. When you get a room, or even part of a room, just how you like it, take a picture. It will help spur you on and help you to return it to its perfectly relaxing state if you slip back a little. #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein #30daydeclutterchallenge

DECLUTTER CHALLENGE: DAY 29 What's on the bench of doom today? It's not even on the bench. #30daydeclutterchallenge mountain has engulfed the bench and is in danger of landsliding across my dining room floor... Today's offering - more magazines and wooden spoons and spatulas. I am going to give these to my friend who does art, craft and cooking projects with young adults with learning difficulties. It's a good feeling to know they will have a second life. What are you getting rid of today? #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein

Pals, those of you who are decluttering along with me - and those of you who are just thinking about it - the ebook of Declutter is 99p at the moment on amazon. It describes exactly how I tackled my clutter problem, one tote bag of junk at a time. Link in bio. And those of you who already have it, I would be enormously grateful if you could leave a review on amazon. It makes a huge difference. Thank you, and have a wonderful Sunday. X #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein #30daydeclutterchallenge

DECLUTTER CHALLENGE: DAY 28 What's on the bench of doom today? More books, more magazines, another stray lampshade... I am so excited about getting all of this out in a couple of days time. I am finding it quite a heart-sink having it all looming in my dining room. It's so nice to calming to let it go, and that's what this process is all about. What are you getting rid of today? #declutter #calmfromchaos #decluttering #30daydeclutterchallenge #lovethehomeyourein

Friends, those of you who are following along with our decluttering challenge but haven't tried my book yet, the ebook is a bargainacious 99p at the moment as part of Amazon's Black Friday promotion (link in bio). And those of you who have read the book and feel able to leave a review on amazon, I would be enormously grateful. It makes a huge difference, and a million thanks to those of you who have left reviews already. You're all splendid. #declutter #calmfromchaos #decluttering #30daydeclutterchallenge #lovethehomeyourein

DECLUTTER CHALLENGE: DAY 27 What's on the bench of doom today? More magazines, old toiletries, costume jewellery, some clothes, random umbrellas left at my house and yet another cat bed (who needs a bed when you have nice, cosy human slaves to sleep on?). Look at that mountain! The north face is in danger of collapse... Later this afternoon I have a special announcement for all you decluttering heroes, so do check back in later. I hope you're all doing brilliantly. I love hearing all of your stories. X #declutter #calmfromchaos #decluttering #declutteryourlife #lovethehomeyourein #30daydeclutterchallenge

What I learned about decluttering when I was working on my own house was that sometimes it was very hard and it brought a lot of uncomfortable feelings to the surface, reminded me of old sadnesses and struggles. On those days, I learned just to be gentle with myself, to do what I could, to give myself plenty of breaks, to reward myself with things I love, like a long bath with a good book, playing with my dogs, cosying up on the sofa with my cat and a rubbish movie. Do what you need to do. And start again tomorrow. #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein #30daydeclutterchallenge #declutteryourlife

DECLUTTER CHALLENGE: DAY 26 What's on the bench of doom today? A big fluffy dressing gown that seemed like a good idea at the time but that's just TOO HOT, a fun fur coat that I don't find too much fun anymore, and a few of my husband's shirts, scarves and handkerchiefs. One of the biggest challenges with decluttering if you share your house with someone else is getting them on board. I know a lot of people put off getting started until everyone in the household agrees to get stuck in too. You might be waiting a long time. What worked for me was just starting. Once others see how much easier your life is becoming when you're unencumbered by SO MUCH STUFF, they're more inclined to join in. #declutter #calmfromchaos #lovethehomeyourein #30daydeclutterchallenge

Lickedspoon Twitter

My Tweets

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 12,974 other followers

Follow Debora Robertson on WordPress.com

LickedSpoon Words

1940s 1970s An Introduction Apples Austria Autumn Baking Barbecue Barney Bishop Auckland Books Booze Bread Breakfast Cake Cats Chocolate Christmas Christmas Preparation Classic Cookbooks Coffee Cookbooks Cooking Classes Craft Dogs Earth Day Easter Elizabeth David Entertaining Events Family Fish France Free Cakes for Kids Hackney Fruit Gardening Gifts from the Garden Hallowe’en Holidays Home Stuff Ice Cream Indian Ireland Leftovers Licked London Lunch Mains Markets Meat Middle Eastern Moscow Picnic Pies Preserves Puddings Pulses River Cottage Salad Seafood Shopping Soup Starters Stoke Newington Stoke Newington Festival Summer Taste of the Unexpected Uncategorized Vegetables Wedding Wine