Housekeepers Carousel

Well it’s been ever such  a long time and as I have a list as long as my arm of things I want to share with you, I thought a quick spin on the Carousel might just be the answer and so here we are!
Are you ready?
* First up, the gorgeous image of Gladys Cooper above. Because I thought it would be nice to start the week of with something truly gorgeous, and I do believe this portrait is it. Those colours! That dress! Oh to have been an actress from another age…

*Next today The Book Depository. Since the day I launched BrocanteHome, this site has been successfully monetised by Amazon.Com. However this has never sat comfortably with me because I knew that my book recommendations were often not available to those of you not served by Amazon, or indeed to those of you for whom the cost of delivery made purchasing said scrumptious books prohibitive. And so today I am pleased to announce that from now on the majority of my book links will forward to the Book Depository, which means that you will see the books in your own currency, will never have to pay shipping anywhere, and can use your paypal account to fund your book habit. How wonderful is that?
I really hope your experiences with the Book Depository will be positive and that you will continue to help me keep Brocante online by supporting it with your book shopping. I am, as always, truly grateful.

* Next up, after many hours spent in Ikea recently studying a variety of Billy Bookcase conglomerations for my dining room (as my book collection is now spinning out of control),  I can’t get their current ad theme tune out of my head and more than that the vibe of the TV ad has me transfixed every time it comes on, which rather has me suspecting that a little bit of me still wants to be young, glam and spending more time than I should in the kitchen at parties. But I’m not, so hey ho.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_LIai0MAbE&w=640&h=385]
* Next m’dears, the Vintage Range from Andrea Garland– organic lip-balm deliciously packaged in vintage compacts. Genius mais, non? And the perfect stocking filler for old fashioned friends.

* Moving on to the kind of books we would have read in our girlhood had we known they existed. Girls Gone By Pubishing is rather fascinatingly run by Clarissa, a Church of England Priest, and features an extensive list of in and out of print  popular girls fiction from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The site is interesting not just because it could spark a truly darling collection of genre specific re-editions, but because of the scrumptiously cosy, friendly and warm behind the scenes look at a running at a publishing company that a sojourn around the site provides. Thoroughly charming…

* Now a packet of Christmas Crackers I have rather fallen in love  with, from –Liberty of London the iconic London store my gorgeous little sister will soon be working only a hop, skip and a jump away from. The lucky cow.

* Next, the kind of cookbook, mad busy women like us adore, the Stone Soup E-Cookbook features 65 recipes all using just five ingredients that will take no more than ten minutes to throw together. And though there are literally billions of free recipes online, this cookbook features the unique voice of Jules Clancy who makes the creation of basic, simple, delicious food a breeze. Stone Soup is the only cooking blog I read daily because Jules makes nutritious cookery accessible to all and doesn’t presume I know anything more than the most basic of kitchen skills. Download it today, re-think the way you cook and try the zucchini soup because it is delish.




* And finally today Housekeepers, because I am in deep, deep mourning for Downton Abbey after last nights wonderful season finale, a few pictures to remember it by until next time. For those of you who weren’t able to catch it on BBC, the box set will be available to all outside the UK, come January 11th, 2011. You’d be a fool to miss it because it was absolutely glorious, everything and more that a period drama should be.
Happy new week Housekeepers!