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Daphne ~ The Lady Loves Blue

@daphnebryson

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Welcome to my home in the NE of England🇬🇧
If you enjoy classic blue and white, a curated home,
gardening and cooking.
I invite you to stay a while💙

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Good Morning to you,

I am slowly getting used to recording myself in videos once again, although I am the first to admit that no matter how hard I try, I am not very professional, as you can tell by the editing 😂

… but I will not give up, I feel practice makes perfect, well maybe not perfect in my case, but somewhere between could have done better and should have tried harder😂

So when I was recording a video for Friday Food Friends #fridayfoodfriends I discovered I could not form some of my words properly, I found I was getting my words in a muddle.

I think the problem was, our daughters were on my mind.

Our son in law had arrived from Thailand a couple of days previously and brought gifts from our eldest daughter, she was so kind and thoroughly spoilt us all.

We separated our youngest daughter’s gifts, added gifts of our own, repackaged them, then popped to The Post Office and sent them to the south of England.

I knew our youngest daughter would be so excited when she opened the parcel… in my minds eye, I could see her smiling face and couldn’t wait for her to receive her gifts the following day, so I was not concentrating properly… hence the ‘bloopers’. I think you can probably tell, we are a very excitable family😂

So my words did not flow as they normally do.

When watching the videos I found myself laughing at the bloopers, so I thought in this perfect world of Instagram, you might enjoy my silliness and if you are able to wait until the end you will see how happy I was when I finally finished the video.

I feel we must not take ourselves too seriously, it is good to laugh at ourselves.

Do you agree?🥰

#ivyphyllisandme
#blueandwhiteamour #blueandwhiteforever #blueandwhitehome #blueapron #blueandwhitedecor #bloopers😂❤️ #bloopervideo taken in North East England by @daphnebryson

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2 years ago

Good Morning to you and welcome to Daphne’s Sunday Songs. Now just take a look at this fabulous pear and ginger upside down cake, honestly it is one of Mr B’s. favourite cakes. The recipe can be found on my blog Ivy, Phyllis and Me! The link to the recipe is on my main page. Just to let you know the first time I posted this recipe I used light brown, but when I posted the pear and ginger cake a second time I used Demerara sugar and I loved it so much, that nowadays, I use Demerara sugar. I must go as I am now going to cook lunch. Take care and I will see you soon🥰
#ivyphyllisandme
#bakersofinstagram
#homebakedcakes
#homebakingrocks
#cookingupastorm
#cookingfromtheheart
#cookingfromscratch
#cookingwithlove
#storecupboardcooking
#blueandwhiteamour
#cornerofmykitchen
#britainsbesthomecooks_ taken in North East England by @daphnebryson

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5 years ago

Good Afternoon to you, Guess what I am talking about today… I’m only teasing you because of course you can see… plants, but not only plants, but plants for free. So make yourself a cup of tea, coffee or pour yourself a glass of wine… yes Di I remembered😂 and if the fancy takes you join me for todays Cup of Tea and a Chat🥰
#ivyphyllisandme
#cosyhome
#kitchendesign
#kitchendecor
#cosykitchen
#mynortheasthome
#mykitchen
#saturdaystyle
#mykitchen
#blueandwhiteamour
#blueandwhitedecor
#blueandwhitehome
#blueandwhiteforever
#borninthe50s
#nebloggers by @daphnebryson

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4 years ago

Good Morning to you,

Autumn has truly arrived so it is time to make our home feel warm and cosy.

Gone are the pastel pinks and pastel greens, replaced by bold tartan rugs and my favourite navy blue and green cushions.

The candle holders have been taken out of storage… well when I say storage, I asked Mr B if he would mind climbing into the loft to find the candle holders. The request was received with a blank look.

‘What is the problem’ I asked

‘There is no problem’ replied Mr B

‘But you look a tad confused’ said I

‘You are wrong’ said Mr B, ‘I am not confused, I’m just thinking’

I bet you’re thinking ‘Where on earth did I put the candle holders’ I replied.

‘Well alright Miss Marple, yes you are right, I just have to think, I need to channel my inner Poirot to activate the little grey cells’

‘Okey dokey, I will leave you as I am going to hang out my washing… good luck activating your little grey cells’

After hanging out the washing, I came back indoors looking like I had been dragged through a hedge backwards (it was a very windy day) to find Mr B standing with a box labelled candle holders.

‘Well I never’ said I ‘That was quick’

To which he replied, ‘I know everything that is in the loft, the problem is I tidied up and put things in different places, but I finally managed to activate my little grey cells. I may be 77 but I’ve still got a razor sharp mind’

‘Mmm’, said I and felt I should not labour the point. Razor sharp is not how I would describe Mr B’s mind these days, but he was so considerate to go rooting around the loft to find what I needed, in fact it was kind of him… and those 4 letters describe Mr B perfectly…. he is very kind

… and we all need a little kindness in our lives.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday🥰

corner of my home / home style / home decor / houseplants / candles

#cornersofmyhome #myhometoday #wicker #houseplantslover taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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3 days ago

Good Morning to you,

I find it interesting, how over the years, names for cooking processes have changed.

For instance, what is known today as a one pot meal, in my day was known as a casserole.

Do you remember Pyrex casserole dishes with glass lids, they were perfect for slow cooking.

One of Mr B’s favourite casseroles was a Lancashire hotpot. I would visit my local butcher and ask him for his advice on which cut of meat to use, you see I was still learning. The butcher would give his recommendation, I would agree, well I was trying to give the impression that I knew what I was doing… today I think the saying is ‘fake it until you make it’, but I guess he knew I was still learning😂 then he would wrap the meat, tie it with twine and I would happily cycle home.

Once home, I would cut the meat into bite size pieces, then dust the meat with flour, salt and pepper to create a tasty gravy.

In those days we placed dripping in the bottom of the casserole, there was no browning of the meat, the bottom layer would be a layer of meat, then a layer of onions, carrots and potatoes, seasoned with salt and white pepper then continuing until the vegetables and meat were used up, keeping plenty of potato to layer on top. Water was added, the lid was placed on the casserole and it was put into the oven for approximately 2 hours. Half an hour before the end of the cooking time, the lid was removed and the liquid was checked. The casserole was placed back into the oven to brown the top layer of potatoes.

So when I saw Clodagh’s one pot chicken recipe, filled with delicious root vegetables, I knew it was something Mr B would enjoy.

The only addition I made was to add waxy potatoes, I added them for Mr B and he loved them.

So will I be making this hearty casserole again… absolutely.

Or as it is said nowadays

… this chicken one pot meal will be on repeat.

If you would like Clodagh’s recipe pop over and visit @clodagh_mckenna

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday 🥰

one pot meals / casseroles / heart food / cooking from scratch / chicken recipe / taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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6 days ago

Good Morning to you,

Oh my goodness what a wonderful surprise to receive so many good wishes for our 56th wedding anniversary, thank you so much, you are very kind🥰

I am a tad excited as I have news to share.

As you know, I have collected blue and white for many years and I have loved each piece I have bought, but for quite a while I have been thinking it is time to let some pieces go to live in other homes where they will be enjoyed and appreciated.

So with encouragement from our daughters I am going to open an eBay account.

Our youngest daughter is a bit of an entrepreneur and knows how to do this sort of thing, so I am grateful for her help, she has also organised The Lady Loves Blue stickers and I am really pleased with them.

In an ideal world I would love to wrap each piece of blue and white, add a blue bow and place it in a beautiful box… but that would prove too expensive and I would be in debt before I started😉

Each item will be carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and then wrapped in tissue paper with a Lady Loves Blue sticker then placed in a box… which incidentally we have been collecting for quite a while.

Mr B will then take each item to the post office, so this will be a joint venture… well any venture would always include Mr B.

I am in the planning stages as I want to do everything properly.

… what do you think?

Do you have any tips to help me as I have never done anything like this before.

I love learning something new… for instance my eldest daughter let slip that one of my Christmas gifts is a course on how to design my own fabric… can you imagine designing your own fabric… I am so excited and my head is filled with so many ideas.

How about you, are you the same, do you enjoy learning something new. I would love to know.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday🥰

Welsh dresser / blue and white / dining room / vase of flowers / dining room table / rugs

#welcometomyworld
#myhometoinspire
#welcometomylife taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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10 days ago

Good Morning to you,

Yesterday Mr B and I celebrated 56 years of marriage

… and we had a lovely day together.

We got up as normal and I made tea for Mr B and filtered coffee for myself.

We opened our anniversary cards and gifts together, then we talked to our lovely daughters and we thanked them for our gifts.

Later Mr B made toast and marmite for himself and toast and marmalade for me… and of course we drank copious amounts of tea and coffee as we reminisced about our lives together.

Mr B then asked if there was anything I especially wanted to do… and I honestly replied no, as I was content just spending the day together.

We talked about our beautiful daughters and the fun we had and still have with them both.

… and whilst life at times has not been plain sailing, well it couldn’t possibly be as life is compiled of many ups and downs

I thought I would ask Mr B the question

‘Would you do it all over again?’

he replied without hesitation ‘Absolutely’

he asked ‘Would you?’

and I replied ‘Most definitely… because we have had a lot of fun and laughter along the way’

‘That is exactly what I was thinking’ said Mr B

… and those young whipper snappers in the photograph with their whole lives ahead of them are Mr B and I on our honeymoon in Majorca in 1970.

Did you notice the background?

In those days we were happy if a photograph turned out well, we didn’t think about what was going on in the background 😂

The honeymoon cost us £29 each for a one week stay and we had a wonderful time riding everywhere on our tandem bicycles.

I am often asked what I think the secret is to a long lasting relationship. I am no expert but I always say the same thing.

You have to respect each other, try not to go to bed on an argument and of course there has to be a little laughter along the way.

I wonder, what qualities do you feel are important in a relationship?

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday 🥰

anniversary / celebration / marriage / fun / laughter / honeymoon taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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13 days ago

Good Morning to you,

As I look out of my conservatory window this morning, I cannot help noticing how beautiful the roses look on the rose arch… they are flourishing, despite the winds. To be truthful the winds dislodge the rose petals so frequently nowadays, but there are still a few rose buds waiting in the wings ready to put on a show

.. and once Autumn fades and we head into winter this is the time I really miss being in the garden

… but as compensation I have a host of houseplants to look after to keep me occupied during the winter time.

I have often mentioned that I buy small plants and nurture them to their full potential… as I did with the Ficus. The variegated Ficus was about 18 inches tall when I bought it… and look at it now. The small plant originally had many branches but I wanted to turn it into a standard ficus, so I trimmed all the lower branches allowing only a few to remain at the top of the plant. I must admit the Ficus looked rather strange at first, which Mr B commented on a number of occasions, but each time I told him to trust the process. To be honest I really don’t think he believed me.

It took quite a while for the Ficus to grow to become the standard ficus you see today, but it is worth being patient when the rewards are so great

… as it was when we planted a lemon pip which grew into a lemon tree, but that is a story for another day.

Oh and in case you are wondering, Mr B told me, he would not come between me and my houseplants again… he said he bowed to my superior knowledge.

Personally I am not so sure I believe him, I have a funny feeling he is teasing me, but I’m not quite sure. I can never tell with Mr B😂

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday 🥰

curated home / home style / preloved home
Blue and white home / lamps / my home taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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17 days ago

Good Morning to you,

I thought, for a change I would post a Sunday still because I understand they have become popular once again.

When I first joined Instagram I enjoyed posting stills, because taking a photograph of my home and garden was fun and so easy, that is once I managed to learn how to take a decent photograph 😂

I remember in the early days, I would look around my living room thinking which photograph to take. Decide on the coffee table, take a photograph, only to find, I had not captured the items on the coffee table as well as I had hoped. So I would take another and with each taking of a photograph I learnt how to take a decent photograph.

… but as my photographic skills improved, Instagram moved on and Stills fell out of fashion.

The new kid on the block was Carousels. I must admit it took a while for me to transition to Carousels, but eventually I did.

Then when I was confident with Carousels, Instagram introduced Reels and I had to learn how to become a camera women… I use the term loosely😂 which to be quite honest I have not fully mastered. I know I could buy equipment to solve the problem, but I really don’t want to spend money on equipment. I would much rather buy plants for my garden.

So today I am back where I started, posting a still.

… and today’s Sunday still is a corner of my living room that I love.

The floral curtains remain all year round because I love the vibrant colours.

The fern has grown from a tiny plant into this magnificent specimen, I just love its wavy leaves.

The candle holder is waiting patiently for me to buy tea lights which I intend doing this week.

The Giacometti style ballerina is posing beautifully, as she always does

The lamp with its small shade is the perfect size for this side table.

… and the chinoiserie garden table… which has never been outside lives happily in my living room and is perfect for the Peace Lily.

So before I leave you, I thought I would ask you which do you prefer, Stills, Carousels or Reels.

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday🥰

Blue and white home / preloved home / living room / home sweet home / chinoiserie / Giacometti ballerina / Sunday stills by @daphnebryson

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20 days ago

Good Morning to you,

Have you ever thought about why you like a specific colour.

I wonder if it is something within us.

For instance as you know I love blue, but why do I like blue so much.

Thinking back to the 1950s, when I was 5 years old, I remember we often went to The Golden Mile beach in Cyprus.

I can vividly remember walking into the blue sea, swimming a couple of strokes then turning onto my back, floating in the shallow water, whilst looking up at the bright blue sky, feeling very happy.

I also enjoyed sitting on the beach listening to the sound of the waves gently rolling in and out, mesmerised by the sun sparkling on the blue sea… I used to think the sparkles were diamonds and if I could catch one I could make a ring for my dolly… childhood memories can be so vivid.

Thinking back to clothes I wore as a teenager in the 1960s I wore a pair of blue culottes which I absolutely loved, worn with a pale blue top and I remember wearing a pair of navy blue leather sling back shoes with a leather flower positioned on the front of the shoes and I always wore them with my culottes.

My favourite dress at the time was a navy blue and white fitted dress with a white Peter Pan collar. Fitted at the waist and then flared to just above the knee. I wore daisy clip on earrings and white lipstick, yes white lipstick and Twiggy lashes, I thought I looked fabulous.

I did wear other colours but the core of my wardrobe was blue and white.

Oh and incidentally my all time favourite album is ‘Blue’ by Joni Mitchell.

So I wonder if those early days of looking at the bright blue sky and swimming in the deep blue sea had an effect on me… you never know, but what I will say is the colour blue is never boring.

… and guess which colour suits Mr B… yes you have guessed it … Blue💙

Take care and I will see you on Sunday🥰

Blue and white / cosy home / home decor / pre loved home / curated home taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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24 days ago

Good Morning to you,

The week before last, I bought a pot of basil from the supermarket. I did all the right things, I kept it on my windowsill, made sure it was watered, but the other day I noticed the edges of the leaves were beginning to turn brown. Don’t you find supermarket basil can turn so easily if not used more or less straight away. Normally I snip the stems and place the basil in a vase of water, this really does help to lengthen their life and if not used the stems root making more basil plants, but I was enjoying seeing the basil on my windowsill… silly me I really should have known better, so I decided it was time to make basil salt.

I find flavoured salts such as basil, lemon, chilli and rosemary are so useful in cooking and sprinkled over cheeses and salads. Sometimes if I run out of French salted butter, I will sprinkle a fine layer of flavoured salt over buttered bread before I add the filling. I have to admit I love French butter… probably a little too much😂

Flavoured salts are so easy to make, but the key thing is to make sure whatever herb is being used it is thoroughly dehydrated, because you do not want the salt to become mouldy. If you watch to the end of the Reel you will see the difference between the pre baked and the finished basil salt.

I use Maldon sea salt, not an Ad, just my personal preference.

BASIL SALT

1 x supermarket pot of basil
125g - Half a packet of Maldon salt

METHOD
Preheat oven to lowest temperature

Line a baking tray with baking parchment

Place Maldon Salt into a food processor

Remove basil leaves from stems and add to food processor

Pulse until basil is finely chopped

Bake for 30 minutes or until basil is dehydrated.

Cool in the tray

Using a fork separate the salt

Pour into a sterilised glass jar, I find a jam funnel is the easiest method, pop on the lid and there you have Basil Salt.

Now to find the lemons to make lemon salt … I do hope Mr B has not used them for his G&T😂

Take care and I will see you on Wednesday 🥰

Home cooking / basil salt / blue and white /The lady loves blue / Maldon salt / simple food taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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a month ago

Good Morning to you,

I do love discovering new cooking ingredients and
I have made numerous recipes, using new to me ingredients, such as, Freekah, a grain made from Durum wheat, date syrup, mango chilli honey sauce and Amba sauce with each recipe being a total success.

One which we particularly enjoy is Chicken Freekah which I have shared with you. but not the recipe as it is not my recipe to share.

On Sunday I made Rhuma’s @rhumasfood One pan Amba Chicken and rice. The only thing I bought was Amba sauce which is a tangy, spiced mango pickle and I knew when I researched the ingredients we would enjoy the flavours of pickled green mangoes, vinegar, fenugreek, turmeric, mustard and chilli.

The Amba Chicken and rice turned out perfectly, but what I would say is, I felt the meal was a little dry, but I must emphasise this is due to personal taste, not the recipe, so next time I will create a sauce to go with the Amba chicken and rice.

As I have cooked so many meals during my marriage to Mr B, I know how to change a recipe to suit our tastebuds, but, the first time I cook a recipe, I always follow the recipe precisely to get a feel for the flavours, but with this Amba Chicken and Rice I would not change a thing, apart from the addition of a sauce.

How do you feel about following recipes, do you follow them precisely or do you add your own personal taste to a recipe.

Take care and I will see you on Sunday🥰

Chicken and rice / Easy recipe
Home cooking / dinner
Amba sauce
Sunday lunch
Good food taken in The North East of England by @daphnebryson

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a month ago