March 2021
We're so excited to share another monthly journal written by the lovely Lola Jones, also known as @pocketfullofbuttercupson Instagram. Lola is a wonderful photographer and all round creator of beautiful content, raising her twin daughters Maya and Chloe from her house near the Peak District. Each month she will give us a small glimpse into her world, inspiring you with activity ideas, recipes and more.
With the arrival of March, we can feel the first hints of spring in the air—the days are getting longer, the birdsong a little louder, and delicate blossoms are beginning to bloom. Easter is just around the corner, bringing with it the promise of gatherings, good food, and seasonal crafts.
This month, we’re sharing ideas to help you welcome the season, from styling a simple yet elegant spring table to creating beautifully dyed Easter eggs using natural ingredients. And if you’re looking for a charming story to enjoy with little ones, Cheerful, with its timeless tale of adventure and longing, is a perfect choice.
We hope these ideas inspire you to add a touch of spring to your home. For more seasonal crafts and recipes, don’t forget to explore our journal section on the website!
Spring/Easter Table
With Easter just around the corner I wanted to share a few tips on how to create a simple table setting for your celebration. Calm neutrals, a little pop of nature and an easy menu is all you need.
When it comes to table decor, think layers. Start with the bottom layer - the table itself. Do you want to leave it bare or cover it with a runner or a tablecloth? Then add the next layer - crockery, glassware, napkins (I think linen always looks best. You can find some inexpensive ones from H&M home) and a centrepiece. I added a blossom branch in a simple vase to the middle of the table, which I thought was plenty here. I also added some finishing touches by placing spotted quail and blue chicken eggs on top of my napkins and a tiny blossom branch or a simple little branch with baby spring leaves.
Your final layer is food and drink. Here you can do as much or as little as you like. We had a light brunch of parma ham and asparagus followed by a little tea party with homemade lemon drizzle cake.
Happy styling!
To Read
“Cheerful”
First published in 1957, “Cheerful” is the sweetest, gentle story about a mouse, who lives in a
church in the city with his family. His mother tells him and his siblings stories about the fields and
woods where she once lived, far, far away. Cheerful longs to go to that wonderful green land, only
his mother doesn’t know the way. And so one day he sets off on an adventure.
DIY Watercolour Paper Flowers
I started dying eggs using natural ingredients for the very first time a couple of years ago and was pleasantly surprised how really easy it was to do. I have only ever used brown onion skins before, so this year I decided to try three new to me ingredients: red cabbage, beetroot and blueberries.
All were pretty straightforward and inexpensive.
You will need:
- white eggs for this as they dye best. Pre-boil and cool down completely before
dying.
For midnight blue (almost black eggs):
Place 1 cup of blueberries and 1 cup water in a blender and blitz until smooth. Heat the liquid in the saucepan until it starts to simmer and turns fuchsia colour. Let it cool completely and stir in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Pour the mixture into a glass jar or a container, add the eggs and refrigerate. Let them sit in the dye for 12+ hours. I had mine in the fridge for most of the evening and overnight. This shade has got to be my favourite from the ones I did this time.
For light blue eggs:
Shred 1/2 small red cabbage and place in a large saucepan. Pour just enough water to cover the cabbage and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, leave it to stand and cool down completely.
Strain the liquid discarding the solids. Pour the liquid into a glass jar or a container, add the eggs and refrigerate. Dye for 2-3 hours for a pale blue shade and up to 12 hours for a deeper shade.
For printed blue eggs:
Wrap the eggs with tights, placing leaves or a flower against the egg and the tights to form prints.
Wrap them tightly and place in the dye. I had mine in the dye overnight.
For pink eggs:
Pour 4 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Peel and chop 6 small beetroots and add to the pan with boiling water. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes, remove from the heat and add
1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Let it stand and cool down, strain the liquid discarding the solids.
Pour the liquid into a glass jar or a container, add the eggs and refrigerate. Dye for 2-3 hours for a pale pink shade and up to 12 hours for a deeper shade.
