Author: Alphe

DIY Mini Cross Stitch Kit – Gardening Tools

Last week, we finally welcomed spring. The nature is waking up after winter, and keen gardeners can start working in their gardens. I was looking for a new cross stitch project to work on, and found one depicting a wheelbarrow with flowers and gardening tools. It seemed perfect for the start of spring! I immediately started stitching and despite some slight issues with the yarn provided in the kit, this small project was soon completed.

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Winter In London 2024/2025

Welcome to yet another post where I document living in London throughout the different seasons of the year. Last time, I covered the Christmas period. Today, I’d like to share with you the sights of London in early 2025, as the British capital was slowly coming back to life in preparation for spring. It’s only been three months since the start of the year, but it felt like a lot longer! So, if you’d like to see what London looked like in early 2025 – this post is for you. Enjoy!

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DIY Floral Wreath – Spring Crafts – Felt Flowers

As the days are getting longer, I can feel the spring fast approaching. We’ve been blessed with some sunny days lately here in London – just about time! After all, spring is officially starting later this week. I recently came across a DIY craft kit I had bought ages ago – one for making a floral wreath with felt flowers – and I decided to give it a go. If you’d like to create a similar wreath but don’t have access to the same assorted kit, don’t worry! You can easily get the right supplies individually, and I included some tips for that.

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Salted Peanut Butter Oreo Tart – No Bake Cake – Delicious

In my last post, I shared the birthday card I made for my Dad whose birthday was last week. Today, I’d like to share the cake I made for his birthday celebrations at home. I first made this salted peanut butter Oreo tart in December, and this time my family requested it again. So naturally, I delivered! It’s a no-bake cake, but it does require being refrigerated for a few hours, ideally overnight. Most of the steps for making this Oreo tart can be done in the evening, but there are a few things that need to be done in the morning, so make sure to plan your time accordingly. As for the cake itself – it’s delicious! Not too sweet, and just perfectly salty to balance things out. I will certainly be making it many more times in the future!

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DIY Birthday Card – Car With Balloons – Acrylics

Last week it was my Dad’s birthday, which I had a chance to celebrate with everyone back home. As always, I designed and created a birthday card for him. I’ve been trying to experiment with different media and techniques lately, after mainly making quilled cards for years. I had previously attempted to paint some cards with watercolours, with varying degrees of success, and this time, I decided to try to make one with acrylics. Here’s how it went!

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DIY Cross Stitch Kit – Flowers – Daffodils, Tulips And Roses

Spring is just around the corner and I was in the mood for cross stitching a fresh, floral design. Luckily, I had one at hand! My most recently finished cross stitch project – from a pre-assorted DIY kit – features colourful flowers: daffodils, roses and tulips. I enjoyed sewing this vibrant picture, it felt perfect for this time of year. The kit didn’t let me down, with plenty enough yarn included. Yet another sewing success!

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Beetroot And Goat’s Cheese Salad With Lentils And Wheatberries

This salad is incredible. For real! I often buy a beetroot & goat’s cheese salad in a supermarket (if you’re in the UK – it’s the one from Waitrose that you can get as a meal deal main), and it’s currently my absolute favourite ready meal. So, I’ve been desperate to figure out how to make it at home to save some money in the long run. I studied the ingredients list and, after some trial and error, I’m happy to report that I’ve pretty much nailed it. And I’m so, so excited to share it! If you love beetroot and goat’s cheese, you’re going to love this salad. And if you’ve never tried that combo… it’s your sign to try it! This salad is delicious but also nutritious, full of vitamins, fibre and protein. You have to give it a go!

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DIY Mini Cross Stitch Kit – Golden Llama

The winter days are still long and cold, and there’s nothing better than a cosy evening with a cup of tea and a DIY project. For that reason, I’ve managed to complete quite a few cross stitch projects lately. The one I’m going to share with you today features a golden llama. I’m not sure it was meant to turn out that way, since on the packaging it looks more light beige, but it’s not the first time that yarn colours of an assorted cross stitch kit are a bit off. Either way, I enjoyed a couple of relaxing evenings while cross stitching the llama, and the design turned out pretty cute!

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A Winter Day In Hastings, England

Day trips are one of my favourite things to do on weekends, but it’s been a hot minute since I last went on one. It must have been back in November, when I went to one of the Christmas Markets! I usually prefer to travel in the warmer months, when days are longer and there’s a better chance of sunshine. However, I always like to go on one or two winter trips as well. The weather conditions might be a bit harsher, but there’s far less tourists and I enjoy exploring new places away from crowds.

So, last Saturday, I decided to go to Hastings. I had previously spent a June bank holiday weekend there and enjoyed it greatly. I’ve been planning to go back for ages, and the time finally came. My plan was to have a walk on the beach and on the cliffs, and to visit one of my favourite coffee shops. Join me as I relive that day!

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DIY Cross Stitch Kit – Floral Heart – Valentine’s Day Crafts

It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, and if you’ve left the house in the last few days, you must have seen loads of flowers and hearts in the shops. So, a cross stitch design including both of those things seemed just perfect for this time of year. That’s right – I’d like to share yet another cross stitch project I’ve finished. This time, it featured a colourful, floral heart. I loved the vibrant colours of that design and had a great time sewing it. This time, I approached the project with a different strategy than usually, and it made the stitching even more fun!

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