Breakfast with KBJ

I don't know what it is about Keith Brymer Jones crockery--maybe it's because it's so simple, and everything has a name so you know what's in it/what it does? But he can be a snarky one, too. Some of his typeset isn't exactly kid friendly. But I love the simplicity and cleanness of the range:

Isn't it fun? Why NOT label everything? And if you can be naughty or snarky or humorous about it, why not? Life is too short to be so serious. I've realized that a lot, recently. 

I got most of these pieces before things shut down, shipping wise. But I recommend you go on the website. You can see for yourself how fun this can be! (I had to hold myself back from getting the "Rockstar" cup. Because...you know... ;-)

Crazy for Daisies

I love Daisies. As in, I LOVE them. They are so pretty and springy and just make me happy. The image above is my current desktop background. I even had a custom cover made for my Surface Pro, and found the same for my airpods:

The only thing that makes me sad, is the shortage of DAISY Patterns in china dishes! My absolute favorite is this daisy pattern from Gracie China:

 I wish there were more pieces with this pattern. It's definitely my "cup of tea."

 And there's this lovely Gisela Graham pattern, (U.K.) but can't get it here in the U.S.:

And there's always Poppytrail by Metlox:

Photo from Replacements Ltd.

Photo from Replacements Ltd.

Photo from Replacements Ltd.

It's cute, but it's sort of "vintage" and very "1970's" to me. I love more delicate china, and Shelley Blue Daisy Chintz never disappoints. But it's very hard to find.

And this gem from KH Pottery:

But that's about all I've found. And I am REALLY handy with the internet searches. Surprised there isn't more love for Daisies. But every spring I get Daisy Fever and maybe one day, I'll find the perfect china pattern.

Back Porch Breakfast with Burleigh

I love summer. Lazy mornings, late nights, sun-soaked days, cool pools, and my favorite part of summer? Morning. As in Breakfast. Outside. On the porch. Hallelujah.

I've started "Lazy Keto" for summer. Instead of restricting myself to 20 grams of carb or less, I'm doing 100. Still healthy, just more flexible. Which means I can have my Cafix/Kafree with half and half and Cheerios with fruit in the morning. Yay!

We went a little nuts at AT HOME and did some fun porch decor. Now we have a little oasis and it's so fun. Peaceful, private, everything we want. And a great place for morning breakfast. And I love my Burleigh Mulberry Felicity. It's so Country, but so versatile:

Sun's coming up! Guess I'd better eat before it gets cold. ;-) 

**SIGH** Perfect Bliss.

Back to Basic Basics...

After a week off of Keto, I am back. I truly have a love/hate relationship with the Keto Diet. Do I love carbs? Heck yes. Fresh baked breads, Pizza, Pasta, Desserts, yes please. But my body doesn't like how it feels when I eat them. In this case, I took a week off and ate them, with a capital ATE. In abundance. And I feel awful. Lethargic, tired, puffy, you name it. Inflammation is not my friend. When I'm in Ketosis, I have zero inflammation, as long as I keep the processed meats down to a minimum. My brain works better. I wake up in the morning refreshed and energetic. The difference is amazing. I don't recommend it for a permament lifestyle change, but for losing the weight you want, it's the answer for me. And believe me, I've tried EVERYTHING. Keto is the only one that works.

This is the most basic Keto breakfast of all. And I scrambled those eggs with Kerrygold. Back to high fat, low carb! In about three days, I'll be back to my keto-ing self. I just hope I can survive the Carb Withdrawal. Never the fun part. :-( Live and Learn.

 

City to Cottage Breakfast

"City to Cottage" is a brand I ordered from London, and I have to say, it's very cottage-y. It comes in a lot of colors, but my favorite is sky blue. Look at them polka dots!

They are very relaxing and soothing for morning time. Especially in a sunny corner of the house!
You can find all the colors and patterns here. They really are a fun addition to any home! 

Photo from City to Cottage.UK

Photo from City to Cottage.UK

A Little Blue Romance...

...to start my day! This pattern is "Blue Romance" by Delton. Not really heard of Delton, before. One thing to know about me, I don't care about "brands" or "labels" when it comes to my dishes. I like it, I buy it. Whether expensive or not. This was definitely not expensive, but it was so pretty I HAD to have it. ;-)

I just wish there was a sugar and creamer set to round it out!

It does look nice on a table. The floral and stripes and colors really are striking. I'd include a link to Delton but they are wholesalers, and you can't buy individual pieces. Oh well. You can find tons of pretty Delton patterns on Amazon. 

Definitely a great way to start the day! :-)

Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

I am in love with these Blueberry Cheesecake muffins. They are so delicious, I just...can't. And at two net carbs each, they are a Keto dream. They go well with whatever you're having for breakfast, and they are SO good.

My advice? Make them the day before and eat them cold, out of the fridge. It's like eating legit Blueberry Cheesecake. I'm in heaven! 

Recipe is here.

Enjoy!

Sometimes Basic is Good.

Times have been a little crazy, lately, no joke. With a worldwide pandemic, we've all been home and my kids are doing school online and my hubby is working from home in the front office (usually my office, but he's temporarily taken it hostage), and our world has changed. We are, essentially, Back to Basics. I've been finding that using basic white for breakfast in the mornings seems apropos, and it's calming and soothing. 

In today's climate, routine is a good thing. I still have my quiet breakfast in the sunny corner of the breakfast room, and it is rejuvenating. My whiteware of choice is Fiesta White. I love Fiesta. I have lots of colors, but white is my fave. It's a classic look. Simple. Clean. Not fussy or over the top, like a lot of my china patterns. And it's solid crockery. I love it. Sometimes, simplicity is a good thing.

Be safe, everyone.

Happy National Pancake Day!

Spring may not be "officially" here yet, but I certainly have decorated for Easter and I'm having my pancakes on some springy dishes! I actually found these at Kroger last year. They are just too cute!

 I'm sure on National Pancake Day there are ALL sorts of pancakes out there, with fruit and cream or chocolate and nuts and whipped cream, but since I'm a minimalist (only with my pancakes) AND I happen to be on the Keto diet, I prefer the plain ol' pancakes and syrup. Only these are low carb pancakes and Choc Zero syrup, which is thick and delicious and you wouldn't know it's sugar free. My will is usually pretty weak when it comes to pancakes, so I'm glad I can have these!

Now if only I could **will** Spring to be here, quicker!! 

 

Springtime and Royal Albert Polka Rose

I love Springtime. Yeah, I know, it's only February (that's why I have Valentine cookies!) but in the southern state I reside in, Spring is right around the corner. And I've fallen in love with "Polka Rose" by Royal Albert. 

The whole line is Suuuper cute:

But I prefer the mint green and roses. I got the whole set, including egg tots and cereal bowls I had to special order in the U.K. But what a fun pattern for those wanting to drink their cuppa on some posh dishes! And so pretty. Aren't they? :-)

DIY Sugarcubes: Yes Please!

Look at these beauties. And they were made by moi. Since I am on the Keto diet and I can't have REAL sugar cubes, I took to Pinterest to find a solution. And I stumbled on this fix by Desserts With Benefits. You actually take Erythritol and water, and voila--24 hours later you have bona fide sugar cubes for your tea! I take three in mine. It's so easy to make them, and all my sugar bowls are filled! The best part? only .5 grams of carb for FIVE of them. Hooray! *Note: she says to leave them overnight, but I have found that they are still crumbly. I wait 24 hours for ultimate hardening.

Churchill Queen's Penzance Brunch

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Churchill's Queen's Penzance/The Caravan Trail. Hands down my favorite breakfast dishes. For some reason they look weird with dinner food on them. But for breakfast they are perfect. I pretty much have everything:

 

I use it almost every day. How can I not? Look how cute it is! These photos are from Lavender and Lovage, and she takes beautiful pictures of dishes and food, among other things. Her pictures of Penzance first made me fall in love with it.

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

Photo from Lavender and Lovage

I hope to have these for a long, long time.