The Quest For The Perfect Bloody Mary…
Not to be confused with the perfect tomato juice- they can be quite different drinks- not just due to the addition or not of vodka!
It actually wasn’t until a recent evening at my friend Vanessa’s house (the authority on ALL matters vodka!) that I realised that Bloody Mary’s should not just be viewed as tomato juices with vodka as I had previously thought (which I always find incredibly thick, rich & delicious but can only ever drink one of – (criminal!)
Vanessa’s perfect Bloody Mary involves a lot of ice & lemon which makes it an altogether more liquid & refreshingly drinkable drink – we drank several of these in the course of the evening (all in the name of research- naturally!)
I highly recommend this recipe as a summer evening tipple after a day at the beach but it would also go down a treat at Sunday brunch. However you make yours, you can really have some fun with the garnishes.
Maybe you could create a build your own Bloody Mary station next time you have friends round for brunch (this would also be a fabulous idea for the day after a wedding) … Along with the more traditional celery stick I’m imagining bowls of olives, fresh asparagus spears, a plate piled high with rashers of crispy bacon it’s practically brunch in a boozy glass – let your imagination go crazy & enjoy!
Chin Chin xx
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Building Spaces With Bits & Pieces
One thing that really struck me more than anything else whilst drooling over reading The Design Files post on Australian artist David Bromley & his wife Yuge’s Byron Bay home yesterday (Wow!) was Davids quote about their approach to decorating vs renovating.
“Placing bits & pieces we love around the house is how we build space”
Love it! He put it so beautifully & in one short little sentence, managed to sum up my favourite approach to creating any kind of space…. by using bits & pieces that you love.
Sibella Court’s living room, photo by James Merrell
To me, building a beautiful space is not about perfectly proportioned walls & a contrived, overly thought out scheme but rather about comfort, personality & a clear narrative of who lives there & how the space is used. What better way to do this than through clever display of the bits & pieces that you love.
Large open plan spaces really benefit from this approach to decorating, using bits & pieces of furniture, plants, lighting to break up the space & create zones within the room. This is what gives a home its voice, the layers that bring warmth and interest.
It is what makes people feel instantly welcome & ultimately how you build the most compelling spaces.
Sam x
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Standing still.
One thing our homes should never be is static – it is only natural that as we and our family’s grow/ change/ develop our homes must too in order to reflect our current needs & our passions. On a day-to-day basis it is also important to not become blind to our surroundings by never changing anything.
As a huge hoarder collector of things I am constantly moving things around out of a need to create room for more things according to my mood, current obsessions & inspirations. I don’t necessarily mean big pieces of furniture but rather books, lamps, vases, shells, plants, rugs, cushions etc.. This can be inspired by a fabulous new junk shop find, a big bouquet of flowers or a few branches of leaves (that may or may not have been raided from a roadside tree – always have secateurs in your glove box!)
The joy of coming home and moving bits & bobs around to accommodate your fabulous new find injects life into your home & will renew your passion for certain forgotten and ignored pieces…. it’s rather like rediscovering an old friend.
Creating little vignettes within our homes is a very easy way to transform a space & also experiment with trends without having to completely re-decorate or spend a lot of money. Love the current trend for neon but don’t have much of a budget or fear that it might be a fleeting love affair on your part? It can be as simple as investing in a can of fluoro spray paint & attacking some old bottles or other inexpensive objects, or buy some neon washi tape & stick up some favourite photos, tear sheets or ephemera creating an instant mood board that can be taken down at your whim when you fancy a change or are obsessing about a new trend.
Have fun with the things that you own, keep your environment inspired & fresh by moving things around & seeing how they work when placed in a different room. Nothing has to stay put & you may just discover a fabulous new way to display your favourite things… If nothing else you will stop your home becoming dusty static & it will therefore feel lived in & loved.
Have fun x
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Mothers Day
Unfortunately my Mother lives on the other side of the world & will therefore not be popping round for lunch this Mothers day but IF she was then I would take my inspiration from the garden, the last of the summers geraniums & autumnal golds.
I would set up a table under the trees, cover it with a pretty cloth that dragged on the ground, string lanterns up in the trees & cram blue & white vases with pretty geraniums & greenery. We would enjoy wine out of golden goblets & happily spend the afternoon laughing and chatting & eating.
Happy Mothers day! How will you be celebrating?
Sam xx
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Procrastination: The art of…..
All Talk
I have been talking about my blog for months (years if I’m honest, or you ask my husband) I get very excited & animated about it. I fill notebooks with ideas & witty anecdotes – I even discuss ideas for new posts with people. I pin images on Pinterest to use in posts, cocktail recipes to try, dinner parties I plan to throw, rooms I am obsessed with, colour palettes, textures, paintings, street style, instructions for growing & shaping the perfect moustache & advice for gentlemen on how to select the perfect hat to reflect ones social standing & befitting the occasion – all entirely relevant knowledge for a young lady in 1913 2013.
If the hat fits
I find Blogging to be a wonderful way to communicate my ideas & inspirations for elevating even the most mundane of tasks into something really rather pleasurable. I believe that life needn’t be dull & strive to inspire others to enjoy the little things, be that the pleasure of fresh sheets on your bed or pouring the perfect Gin & Tonic on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I encourage you to delight in learning to cook the perfect roast chicken with the crispiest potatoes, become renowned for your incredible curries – or for your cunning ability to always find the perfect gift for people….
It’s a guide to fabulous living.
The only downside to this fabulous approach to life & in my haste to inspire others, I have managed to perfect the art of procrastination… I could write a book (or blog!) on the art of it & believe me, like anything else in life it can be turned into an art form- a masterpiece if you please!
BUT No More…
Today is the day that I will actually start my blog that you have all heard so much about. It’s going to be fabulous.
The Perfect G& T from Drizzle & Dip blog
Chin, chin X
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Hi……I’m Sam
A collector by nature, my fancies & fineries tell tales of adventure & treasure hunting around the globe. I love my accessories BIG & my Interiors full of personality & charm.
I am an Interior & Event stylist & peddler of quality wares.
Homes are for living in, Kitchen tables for dancing on.
Let me inspire & delight you xx
