3. 5 August favourites

Hello again!

Okay so now that we're into September and saying goodbye to the last of summer I thought it would be a nice idea to put together five of my favourite things from August. Summer has been pretty amazing with all the good weather and awesome days out but I'm definitely excited for Autumn and all that it brings! Anyway, hope you enjoy my blog and if you like the look of some of my favourites check them out for yourself and let me know what you think.

1. Nashville TV series
I know that Nashville isn't exactly a new show but I've just found it and I don't think it gets enough publicity in the UK so I thought I would start off with it.
The season starts off with a music rivalry between a legendary country music star and a younger rising star which might sound pretty boring but the issues dealt with within the series are a lot deeper than they might at first seem. All of the characters work amazingly and build on each others' stories. This and the character development through the two seasons really have me hooked. Over the two seasons I have gone from hating one character to loving them.

Unlike in a lot of shows I have watched recently these characters aren't 2D. Sometimes you expect them to go down a rather soap opera-like path with a big reveal that astonishes everyone but instead the show finds other ways to make characters' secrets known without such a big showdown and yet still have you emotionally invested and interested in what's going on.

I would also like to mention that the music is brilliant and it's nice to know that all of the stars of the show are genuinely talented. In particular Clare Bowen, who plays Scarlett O'Connor, has such a sweet, chilling voice. She conveys her emotions effortlessly through her singing, giving you not just a performance but a feeling throughout. Above is a video from Youtube of Clare Bowen singing Black Roses, a song from series 2 of Nashville and one of my personal favourites.

2. Chocolate Pot de Crème Recipe

For practically the whole of summer I have been searching for a recipe that would create a pudding similar to something I once had in a restaurant in York and loved. Eventually, after a few near-misses with other recipes, I found it!
If you are a chocolate lover like me then this is the recipe for you. I can only describe it as smooth, velvety, chocolatey goodness. I'm going to give you the link for it as it's not my own recipe but I would say it serves about six, I'm only saying that because I'm not sure it actually says how many portions it does on there but that's what I found was a good amount when I tried it.

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Pot de Crème
6 oz Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (You can just use ordinary dark chocolate)
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (Or double cream)
1/2 cup milk
6 large egg yolks
2 Tbsp sugar

I have altered the recipe slightly just because I don't think you necessarily have to use that brand of chocolate. I also haven't heard of heavy cream but I'm guessing it's similar if not the same thing as double cream? I used double cream and it was still good and creamy so it's a good substitute if not.
I was also worried about just adding chopped chocolate to the hot mixture so I melted the chocolate beforehand. In another recipe I just added finely chopped chocolate and it never melted so it created a grainy texture. In short, I didn't want to risk giving it a grainy texture but it all worked out fine and it was one of the best puddings I have ever made myself.

The only slight complaint I have about this recipe is that it uses a lot of egg yolks and it's difficult to know what to do with the whites. It's a shame to waste them so my mum made some meringues but if you're thinking of trying this recipe out I would recommend looking up what you could make with the leftover egg whites first!

Otherwise, it's a lovely recipe that would be great to have at dinner parties as you can make them in advance and leave them for a few hours in the fridge. But just a warning, they're a tad rich!

3. Crafty bits and bobs

Handmade heart from
The Anchor Shop in Blakeney

Recently I have really started to love and look out for little crafty bits to put in my room for next year. I'm not the most creative person artistically but I have some ideas for adding a little Bobbie touch to my new room. If my ideas actually turn into reality I might write a few small tutorials for things... if they're successful!
If you live near to Norfolk or are going there soon it's a great place for finding crafts as well as other arty things. I found a lovely handmade heart pictured below in a little gift shop in Blakeney. I thought it would be nice to hang on the wall or off my wardrobe door just to add a bit of character to my room.

Also, BIG NEWS.. for me. I have FINALLY finished carving my little wooden bird. YAY. It's only taken about two years. I know, that's a ridiculously long time. My grandad has basically been teaching me how to carve a bird step by step. Unfortunately it's not always possible to go round there to do some carving as I started university last year so I've not been at home as often. I know it's not a good excuse but at least it's now finished. Whilst my little bird isn't exactly perfect I have to say I'm pretty proud of it.

4. New shoes
This might seem odd but I'm notorious in my family for keeping shoes until they literally start to fall to pieces or just wear out. I like to think this makes me slightly thrifty but eventually it does get to a point when they are just too worn to wear anymore.
So anyway, as my last pair were really old I decided to get myself some new ones.

Old vs. New

The new pair of shoes I bought were from the Joules summer sale. I am a huge fan of Joules and this pair of shoes did not disappoint! So far they have been the comfiest plimsole-type shoe I've worn with the added bonus that they look very cute and slightly quirky.
They came with the red ribbon seen in the picture as well as some more normal thick, white laces to get a more practical use out of them.
Although they were probably meant for use in the summer I reckon I will end up using them through autumn and possibly winter as well since they are pretty warm to wear and so far seem pretty sturdy. More shoes like this please Joules!

5. Arran Aromatics Citrus Shores - Hair and Body Wash
Last year we went to the Isle of Arran (an amazing place that's definitely worth a visit!) and while we were there we visited Arran Aromatics. We had a tour and then I decided to buy a 'Long Weekender' gift set in the Citrus Shore fragrance. I had decided to save it for as long as possible because I just couldn't bring myself to open it and use it (I'm a bit of a hoarder like that!). Finally the other day I decided to use it and once again I was reminded why I bought it in the first place.

Citrus Shores is everything you would expect from a product of that name. Grapefruit is the main component of the fragrance but there are other scents that not only make it smell fruity but also remind me of trips to the beach and summer. Of all of the shampoos that I have been using lately I found that this one keeps its smell the longest. It also isn't overpowering which is an added bonus.


Those were my 5 favourites from August, let me know what your favourites were in the comments or contact me on my email: bobbiebabbles@outlook.com!
Hope you all had a lovely summer and I look forward to beginning to blog again through Autumn.

Byeeee!

Bobbie x