tor of Hove gets a makeover

Okay, so I personally am not getting a makeover, but tor of hove the blog is getting a makeover. This little bloggy has been neglected for a very long time, things have changed, my life has changed, I am now focussed on different things, namely my beautiful son Baxter and my love of colour.

Colour whore is a bit of a cheeky name, but i'm going with it, as I can't say any one colour is my favourite and I whore myself out colour wise everyday. Today i'm in neon pink, orange and turquoise, yesterday it was monochrome and patent red. My rooms are treated with the same shameless abuse of the colour wheel, and why not I say. My living room plays host to apple green, lime green, turquoise and black and white.

The new improved ToH aka Colour whore, is going to mainly focus on interior design (my number one love other than my son and husband), bit of food (I make a damn fine gluten free coffee and walnut cake), maybe some fashion (I am LOVING the Colour Blocking trend) and anything else I find fascinating.

Hope you all enjoy my pantone rich blogett.

Tor xxxx

something about sewing and Kabul yellow

I have just had the strongest urge these last couple of day's to make something. A friend of mine suggested making her a cup of tea, but I want to make something like I used to last summer, before I got busy with the second year of my degree (which is going well).

Now that the wedding is out of the way (in the nicest possible way), I feel I need to start sewing again, especially since the spring sun is poking it's face through the clouds.

I am making a polka dot cushion today. Nothing fancy what-so-ever, but hopefully it will kick start me into a making and creating purge. I'm using a black fabric with large coloured polka dots on. I'm particularly drawn to it today as one of the dots is in my current favourite colour - yellow. But not any old yellow - Kabul yellow. Isn't that just the most fantastic colour name ever, it conjures up a 1000 images for me and I want to look at it all day long. I discovered the colour in Elle Decoration, a background wall was painted in it and I can't stop saying the word Kabul yellow in my head.

I looked Kabul Yellow up on google images to see what it would uncover, and I found some gorgeous pictures of women wearing blue burkas and Kabul yellow taxis's in the background, as somebody commented on one of the pictures, the colour of optimism.

Im back!

Autumn is here, Uni has started and less than 2 months till Christmas and less than 4 months till my wedding - yipppeee!
I haven't technically been away, just been busy with all of the usual September and October madness.
So what's been going on in the land of Tor?
Well, I have been massively busy reading for my degree, and I have also reignited my interest in History. I have recently been reading about the Victorian's - fascinating. A lot of the stuff I have been reading about in History really helps to make sense of the things we see around us today, like architecture, green spaces, leisure spaces and sewage systems! It is really shocking to think of how a city could possibly function without any proper drainage or waste facilities, and how the Thames used to be regarded as a stinking cess pit.

It has also been interesting in reading about the creation of the Welfare State. I have really began to form some solid opinions of how much the State should be involved in welfare provision or not! I'm not ready to declare my views just yet, but that's the interesting part about learning, deciding where you sit!

Besides studying I have also been doing some wedding preparation. I have sorted out my bridesmaids outfits - black - conventional moi? Never! stylish - yes! Flowers, bright and in your face - check, cake, ostentatious and my childhood fantasy - check, invites, homemade and stylish - check.

I have also been learning how to use my scanner. Having had it for a year and not using it once, I thought it was time I taught myself how to use it, and now I am addicted. I have been able to rescue photo's which were destined to never be seen again and I have had fun making things for my friends out of old snaps.

Autumn's coming!

I know that this is possibly a premature statement to make, as we have only just changed into August, but I can't help myself. I love the Autumn so much, that as soon as I can see it and sense it just around the corner I begin to get excited. Don't get me wrong, the summer is great and sometimes a lovely sunny day on the beach is just the ticket, but it does not have that certain 'something' that Autumn has.

I love the Autumn because I like the way the sky seems more intense and the atmosphere feels sharper. I love the way the sun sets in Autumn and the sunsets I get to watch on the way home from work. It's the way it makes things smell too, things seem mellow and woodsy, subtle yet smoky. It's the way you begin to see your breath in the mornings the more you move into Autumn, it's the sounds of children going back to school. It's the mentality of new pencil cases for new school years. And this little lot is just the start of why I love the Autumn so much.

I love to go for walks in the Autumn, especially on a Sunday, a walk through the Countryside to admire the scenery and scout around and look for natural objects which might be useful later in the season.

I love the way that the leafs turn into the most vibrant reds, golds and yellows and then gather on the ground, waiting to be scrunched in. It's the bonfires, the fireworks, the pumpkins, the thick and warming soups, scarfs, gloves and hat's, the late summer fruits and the promise of Christmas just round the corner.

I love the way that I want to make things, farmers harvest their crops and I begin to sew and harvest my crop. I love the Autumn fashion, goodbye to skimpy, floaty dresses and hello to tailoring and style. Purple leather handbags, patent black platforms, Rouge Noir or Blackberry nail polish.

I just love the Autumn, can't you tell?

Lazyitus or am I just a slow person?

I am off work for today and tomorrow, as I only work 3 days per week when I am not studying. I have just realised that it is close to 4pm and all I have achieved today is umm...

1. Ordered an ink cartridge and spent an hour plus deciding what else I should purchase from Amazon to make up the free delivery. So in actual fact the print cartridge cost me £20, when I could have bought it from Smiths for £10. Oops. (I bought Sew Pretty Projects)
2. Dyed my hair.
3. Cleaned the bathroom. Only because I got hair dye on the walls. Oops.
4. Phoned the mechanic to fix my car and made an appointment for tomorrow, which he could of done today, but I didn't want to have to put my make up on and actually find clothes that match.
5. Washed the dishes. Decided it was better than boyfriend rolling eyes at me for doing now't.

I wish there was a 6th item, but I think that I am just incredibly lazy or incredibly slow.

Owww my head

I am hungover. Street parties are fun. And I didn't help clear up - oops!
I have lost my beautiful red bunting, maybe it will turn up.

Gluten free biscuits for tomorrows street party

Today I have been slaving away at home. And it has been very pleasurable. I have made no less than 12 meters of red polka dot bunting and several batches of gluten free biscuits. We are having a street party tomorrow and I will be decorating the front of my flat (were only 3 stories high and im on the top) and helping out with any other odd jobs round the street. Im really looking forward to it, ill post some pictures tomorrow so you can see my efforts!

Gluten free biscuits

175g plain gluten free flour

50g caster sugar

110g butter

1/2 teaspoon of xanthum gum (this is the secret, and is what sticks the flour together in lou of gluten!)

dash of vanilla essence

chocolate chip cookies or a liberal dollop of bright pink icing!

10-12 mins in the over at 180 (takes a bit longer than normal biscuits)