14 loves {October 2014}

Welcome to the next in the series {14 loves} for 2014 based on the original concept by my beloved friend, Pam, back in January 2013. I enjoyed sharing my loves so much through the year that I decided I needed to continue through 2014. I hope you will come back each month to see if there is anything in my list to inspire you. You can find previous posts  {here}

I hope there's something in here to inspire you or maybe just make you smile.

Ok, so I missed a month. Well, not really missed a month as in the month steamrollered over me and I was pretty incapable of anything except packing and schlepping boxes, and camping out at the new place. That month will be filled in as I do try to select things that I have been loving from the 14th to the 14th. So the photos are there.... just not organised into a post.... yet.

So here's 14th September to 14th October! It's a more experience based list this month as there's not been much time for shopping or window shopping online.

one

Yes! It's really autumn now and I love it! Slightly wild, windy, wet weather swirling all those beautiful leaves around just make me happy.

two

Our new life in the city has really begun. Our balcony has a great view over the are designated as the "park" and I love watching the low autumn sun setting. Just behind that building you can see? Ikea! I can walk to Ikea which might prove a problem if the need for Swedish meatballs gets too much!

three

A lot of the advantages of our new home are focussed on the fact that everything is right there on our doorstep. Including plenty of good places to eat. One of our faves is Cha Cha which serves Thai food and a super green chicken curry which we can now get on foot "to go". Another danger point for our diet but delicious all the same!

four

And yet more food right round the corner is the American diner Star Diner. A great burger was had at the end of a long, physically tiring day and hit just the right point. We got to sit in the School Bus outside and I thought that was a lot of fun! (Are you seeing the food theme here??)

five

A Pinterest find, I need to find the time to have a go at scrap lifting this beautiful layout.

MonaLisa for Studio Calico

six

September brought a trip to the UK to celebrate some special birthdays. My baby sister and my baby, baby brother both had celebrations within the same week and we were thrilled to get the whole family in one photo. 

seven

And a visit to my granny who is amazing at nearly 93. She wowed us with perfect memories of times 70 years ago as well as engagement in current news topics. Of course, she was delighted to see her favourite German!

eight

This etsy find from Mei Origami was something I'd found some time ago and was happy to order it and find that it was even better than I thought it would be. The quality was amazing and she chose a wonderful book to use, called Angels, complete with pink inside cover paper. It was absolutely perfect and Mei's customer service was fabulous. I'll be ordering something from her again. Make sure you check her out for a special occasion - well worth it!

nine

I managed to fit a lot in to a very short time and caught up with everyone I'd planned to and more which is always satisfying. A highlight was catching up with a good friend who works for the Bournville Estate - established by George Cadbury all those years ago. And of course, you KNOW that I just can't resist that Cadbury chocolate - I bring it back with me in huge quantities as they don't sell it here! Anyway, she was kind enough to take me to the holy grail of chocolate, the staff Cadbury shop! As a child, I was always so envious of my friends whose parents worked there and they were able to visit the shop and always had vast quantitates of scrummy brown gold at home! I was literally a child in a sweet shop and am now struggling not to scoff it all at once!

ten

Many, many selfies with various goofy children were taken. This little one is growing way too fast and it's hard to believe she's almost two!

eleven

And while I was there, I received this wonderfully thoughtful care package from fellow Master Forger and LOADster, Lesley. What a lovely surprise and it was so kind of her to think of me. Very much needed at a time when I was feeling a little low. I wasn't able to make the journey north to meet her and Jemma but I've promised to make the time next time I'm over!

twelve

Round here we are ever so slightly addicted to hummus at the moment, having found that we both adore it and it can be made up in a matter of minutes. Not sure how delighted people are that we meet the following day, but garlic's healthy, right?!? So this recipe originally found on Pinterest piqued my interest straight away. I can feel roasted garlic in my near future!

Roasted garlic hummus from CookingClassy.com

thirteen

Over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog, we have a Counterfeit Queen controlling things this month! Queen Laura is proving to be a very benevolent monarch and chose a wonderful kit to counterfeit (see my reveal post here)! Two of her challenge posts are already up (here and here) and there's one more to come. Why not come over and join us for this fun month? My October kit, Discover, has already produced 9 wonderful LOAD layouts and I've loved using this combination of products. A simply wonderful kit. 

fourteen

We left our sweet baby apple tree behind in our last home but managed to harvest the grand total of 5 apples before we left! They were delicious and the few extras nabbed by the local birds were probably delicious too.

I’d love you to share your own {14 loves} lists with me. Why not link up in the comments below?

{14 loves} is a series that will feature on my blog each 14th of the month